Fields Of Fire
by thesoutherncross100
Summary: Tasting the true extend of bloodshed on the battlefield for the first time, Littlefoot finds himself cut off from the rest of his unit during a major operation in the Zion Canyon. Back home, James comes face to face with just how close war can come to home. Meanwhile, Ali's failure to control her anger might destroy the short relationship she had with her boyfriend.
1. Prologue

**Leister= Washington State  
** **Capitol Of North Cretaceous/Leister= Washington DC  
Royal Ordnance Rifled Cannon= Ordnance Rifle(US civil war cannon)  
M307 Grenade Launcher= XM307 Grenade Launcher  
White Palace= White House  
** ***Most of North Cretaceous' states retain their real life names  
**

* * *

 **Prologue**

Six Mafioso accompanied James Burnett as he entered his father's residence. It had been such a long time since he was here and to his surprise, nothing much has changed. Well, something would change soon. Figuring his son would be too busy finding a replacement for his second in command and building arms for the war effort, Charles made a move against Don Giovanni and attacked one of his businesses. How incredibly wrong was he. Ever since he made his promise to assist Marcus in the fight against his(James)own father, James never moved his eyes away from Charles.

Roving guards at the compound allowed the Don and his six Mafioso, which they presumed were his bodyguards, into the compound. Security was just like usual; ten armed guards roaming the compound and three more inside the house. Five minutes away from the residence was a pair of UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters, each carrying ten-man mercenary teams. And just like Blackhawks employed by the Elysian Military, these were also equipped with M134 Miniguns for defensive purposes.

As expected, Charles sat in the "Godfather chair" of his office and the layout of said office was remarkably similar to that of his son's. Like father like son they say. The Godfather was quite surprised when he saw his son enter the office with six armed men accompanying him instead of the usual two. His heart began to pound when the seconds ticked by with no words spoken between them.

"I like it when you're tense." James gives a cold smile. "It tells me that even the Godfather himself is nothing more than human."

"Why are you here, son?" He asked. "I thought you were churning weapons for the war?"

"That's Delta Arms' job, I'm here to tell you that life as it is, is over for you."

"What nonsense is that?"

"You attacked one of Don Giovanni's businesses."

The distinct bom bom bom sound of chopper rotors could be heard outside. From what he saw on the news regarding Richard Nightingale, Charles knew there was only one thing. He reaches for his waistband and pulls a .38 Smith & Wesson Model 36 Snubnosed revolver. At the same time, his son also pulls his M1911A1 from his shoulder holster rig and both men pointed their weapons at one another at the same time. It was a Mexican standoff; a battle of wits. Who would shoot first? Who would be lying in a pool of their own blood? Who will succumb to their conscience and back down? The ruthless Capo Di Tutti Capi or his slightly softer son?

Behind James, the Mafioso kept their guns low. They knew this duel was their boss' business and he would be the one to settle it while they managed security in the office. Outside the residence, Charles' Mafioso battled against the mercenary teams sent by James in an attempt to erase his father's most loyal circle of men from the face of the Earth.

"You have been such a trouble-son for me." Charles scowls. "Even after everything I've done you're still after me."

"I'm merely destroying a monster who is no longer a true Capo Di Tutti Capi." He shoots back. "When I was about four years old, you told me about how the "Boss of All Bosses" gets his title through respect. But you… You get your title by killing everyone."

"And I solidified the throne for you, James. Can't you see how easy you'll be able to keep your grip on power once I retire? Look, I know I screwed up with that McDonalds case, which is why I did all this just for you."

"Right behind my back, yeah what a good father you are." James rolls his eyes sarcastically. "Give it up old man, your time is over."

"We'll see about that."

 _BANG_

 _BANG BANG_

 _BANG_

 _BANG BANG_

James fell back-first onto the ground while his father slumped onto the table. Both men were unconscious yet still clutching their pistols. The Mafioso standing behind James were shocked and at a loss for words. Who would succeed their boss now?


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Littlefoot and Ali stood on the flight deck of the ESS Enterprise. They have passed the horn of South America just a few weeks ago and would soon arrive on the Californian coast. From where they were, Ali and Littlefoot could see everyone was gearing up for war. Battleships were testing to make sure their turrets were properly functioning and test shots were fired in a safe direction by CIWS units. On the ESS Defender and other support carriers which also ferried Special Forces units, Navy SEALs were conducting gunnery practice on the flight deck while other units trained in below deck firing ranges.

Soldiers on board the many troop ships in the fleet were being served hearty meals. This could be the last time they tasted food from home. Some of them sang songs together while others crammed into the small makeshift theaters to watch an old war movie to get their veins pumped with adrenaline. Unlike the other soldiers, Littlefoot and Ali had all the space they needed. Placed on board an aircraft carrier, they took advantage of the open flight deck for a romantic night out.

"Beautiful view isn't it?" Littlefoot remarks. "Clear skies, sundown backdropping the sea…"

"James and Charmaine would've loved to see this." His girlfriend remarks. "I wonder what they're up to in Elysium."

"Producing arms and vessels for the war effort, duh."

"Yeah, and one of them also happens to be a Mafia Boss."

"So?"

"I dunno, he could be doing something other than producing arms."

"Just… Admire the scenery will you?"

* * *

Sunrise finally came after a long, breezy night. The hundred dinosaur strong garrison tasked with manning the light defenses on the West Coast were already up and preparing themselves for the day. But they didn't need coffee to put them into wide awake mode. As soon as they left their bunks and manned their positions, the defenders found themselves staring at the most frightening sight of their lives. Just off the shores was a massive invasion fleet and it seems the battleships were raising their big guns in preparation for a massive bombardment.

All of a sudden, a massive explosion tears through the cavalry yard behind the line of defenses, killing several horses and wounding more. Another goes off in one of the black powder dumps, causing one of the biggest ammunition cook-offs the defenders have ever seen. Defenders manning the Ballistas soon found themselves being chopped to pieces as the carrier borne F/A-18 Super Hornets finished dropping their payloads and began performing gun runs. Some tried to shoot these steel warbirds down with their Wallarmbrusts but their efforts were futile and only repaid with their own destruction.

At 0700 hours, the air attacked ceased. Now it was the turn of the battleships. Dozens of 16-inch shells rained down from the sky, detonating upon impact and causing chaos all along the defensive line. Simultaneously on the East Coast, one of the Typhoon class submarines fires a Thermobaric missile right into the heart of Baltimore, creating a massive fireball which ravages the entire city. At the White Palace, King Lancelot of North Cretaceous was briefed by his team of advisors on the developing situation.

Unlike Elysium, where news was transmitted quickly via radio, satellite communications, and various other sources to a central command center which would then relay information to the President via a live broadcast or communiqué, news had to be passed on manually in North Cretaceous with messengers, making it a slow and tedious process. And by the time news actually gets to the king, the battle was already well underway.

Buzzers on board the troop carriers sounded, signalling the beginning of the landings. Littlefoot was transported onto his designated troop ship along with Ali by helicopter where she kissed him farewell and wished him good luck. "Stay safe out there, alright?" Those were her last words before her boyfriend stepped into one of the landing crafts along with the rest of his comrades. To his surprise and horror, there were two types of landing crafts in use; Higgins Boats and AAVs.

Humans, more specifically the Marines, were placed in the newer AAVs which had a rear exit ramp to put its passengers out of the line of fire during amphibious assault while the older Higgins Boats, which the dinosaurs were transported in, had front exit ramps allowing quicker egress but placed the passengers in greater danger of being shot. So this was their plan all along, Littlefoot realized. Dinosaurs and Marines would be deployed at the same time so the defenders would focus their attention on the easier to shoot dinosaurs while the Marines moved in to destroy the defenses.

In this fight, Littlefoot and his comrades were nothing more than cannon fodder and there was a good chance they would be too in the coming engagements if they survived this encounter. Wallarmbrusts opened up on the arriving landing crafts along with crossbow turrets inside stone bunkers which survived the initial bombardment by Elysian fighter-bombers and battleships, though these did absolutely no harm to any of them. A gunner on board one of the AAVs decided to play around with his enemy and turned the MK19 turret left and right a few times to signify that he was disappointed with the opposing forces' arms.

He then pulls the trigger, causing the automatic 40mm grenade launcher to roar to life and send a deadly payload of explosives into one of the enemy bunkers. Other AAV gunners followed suit, firing at the bunkers as the first few landing crafts hit the beach and unloaded their payload. As expected, as soon as the Higgins Boats lowered their ramps, the enemy quickly turned their attention on the dinosaurs and fired away, mowing them down as they tried to exit the crafts.

Thinking quickly, Littlefoot made the decision to avoid the ramp altogether and exit by climbing out of the side of the landing craft. This worked in getting him out of the defenders' weapon sights but it threw him into a world of danger. The Higgins Boats had front ramps for a reason and that was to prevent soldiers from having to swim ashore. By avoiding the ramp, the Apatosaurus was thrown straight into the deep water, joining many others as they leapt to avoid the deadly Wallarmbrust and crossbow bolts.

Upon entering the water, Littlefoot and some of his comrades realized how foolish their decision was. Water might've protected them from the deadly projectiles but the heavy gear they all wore now served to weigh them down. Some of the more unfortunate souls drowned as they were unable to swim towards the surface while others were shot just as they reached the surface. Underwater and powering towards the shore at a slow but steady pace, the Apatosaurus wondered if his mother felt this way when she was caught by the Vortex.

She must've felt extreme strain when she blurted out the last remaining pockets of air in her lungs, so much so that she breathed in water. Littlefoot could feel his own body beginning to strain and he bubbled just like his mother did. Fortunately for him, just as he ran out of air, he reached the point where the water was shallow enough that he could stand and not have his head completely submerged.

"Okay, that was close." He gasps. "Now-"

 _FOOP_

Almost immediately, a crossbow bolt strikes the water mere inches from him, jolting the Apatosaurus and causing him to begin running towards the seawall like everyone else. Suddenly a cannonball explodes a small distance away on his left, sending two marines flying into the air. One of them slams back onto the ground, dead and with his entrails pouring out. Another could be seen bleeding and with his intestines sticking out, screaming for his own mother.

Just in front of him, another Apatosaurus lays on his side, his front right leg completely blown off by something. So this was the war James' grandfather had been talking about, only it was much worse than what he heard. There were already massive casualties along the beach even before the Marines have reached their objectives and the water was red with the blood of dead or dying men. Ali must be having a field day, Littlefoot thought. Suddenly, a bolt flew out from one of the bunkers and struck him in the side, knocking him off his feet and onto his side.

Littlefoot had the wind knocked out of him by what was almost certainly a Wallarmbrust and knew he was shot. He closed his eyes, accepting the fact that he was shot and that Ali would soon get the word that he had been killed in action. But then, a rather salty Marine Colonel stopped by and kicked him in the belly, jolting him wide awake once more. Turns out the body armor James had tailor made for him before the war had just saved his life and now, he would have a chance to prove how dinosaurs could be more than just cannon fodder.

"Listen kid!" The Colonel shouts. "Can you carry explosives?"

"Sure!" He answers.

"Okay, take this." The Colonel straps a few bundles of Bangalore Torpedoes to Littlefoot's Saddle Vest. "Follow me, alright?"

"Right behind you, sir."

With the Colonel at the lead, Littlefoot makes it to the seawall where he links up with a few rather surprised Marines. They never expected a dinosaur to make it this far, much less carry the explosives they so desperately needed. One of the Marines, PFC. Robert Wayland, takes one of the Torpedoes and sticks it right underneath the barbed wire which blocked their path. He then fuses the device and sets it off, demolishing the obstacle and allowing the men to charge forward.

Shouting war cries, they charged up the hill and fired their M4A1 Carbines at surprised defenders, gunning them down before they could react. Littlefoot followed them as well, staying behind the Colonel who had his M1911A1 pistol drawn. One defender suddenly pops up in front of him but this old Marine still has it; he shoots the bastard dead before he could even blink. Suddenly a second pops up from one of the bunkers they had supposedly cleared and this time, the Colonel had no idea he was about to be attacked. It seems like this Indomimus Rex could finally take out a high ranking enemy soldier.

Not on Littlefoot's watch he wouldn't. From behind, Littlefoot charged towards the enemy combatant and tackled him to the ground. The Colonel was startled when he heard a struggle behind him and turned just in time to see his attacker getting crushed under Littlefoot's weight. I knew dinosaurs could do more than be cannon fodder, he thought, finally feeling impressed with Littlefoot. Together they continued on, wreaking havoc on enemy positions as other Marines cleared their own path and ran up to join them.

With friendlies pouring in, Elysian Forces found themselves in one of the biggest turkey shoots of their life. Outnumbered, enemy forces charged towards the advancing Elysians, unaware that they were facing gun wielding foes. The dinosaurs didn't have to do anything as their human comrades dealt with the threat with their standard issue M4A1 Carbines, all of them manufactured by Delta Arms. Out of the hundred defenders along the West Coast, only ten surrendered.

This was Littlefoot's first baptism of fire and the first time he saw how brutal war could be. It was much worse than the stories James told, which were passed down from his grandfather. Ali would certainly have a field day when she and the other medics were moved to the field hospitals on shore.

"Good job there, kid." The Colonel approached Littlefoot after the battle was over. "What's your name?"

"Littlefoot."

"Greetings, I'm Colonel Robert May."

"Nice to meet you, sir."

"You did good today. I knew you dinosaurs were more than just cannon fodder."

"Not many of us survived the landing though."

"Yeah, it's a shame indeed." He pulls the bolt from Littlefoot's vest. "Now that's a piece of gear you dinosaurs should've been wearing all along."

"A gift from Don Burnett himself."

"Jeez, you know the guy?"

"Yeah."

"I hear he's not on good terms with his father."

"It's true. Their relations have been rather sour after the McDonalds suit."

"That's god knows how many years ago."

"Some people can hold incredibly long grudges."

"True. Come on now kid, I need help setting up my office."

While Littlefoot had no trouble braving through it all and was now given the relatively trivial task of helping the Colonel set up his makeshift office, Ali was being overwhelmed with the sheer amount of wounded at the field hospital. Blood was all over the floor and body parts were simply thrown into a bin. She nearly threw up when she entered the tent which was the field hospital. Fortunately for Ali, her lack of hands meant she did not have to operate on the wounded patients.

She did however have to carry bags filled with body parts and throw said bags into an incinerator set up in one of the bunkers. It wasn't as hard a task as fighting on the frontlines or saving wounded men but the stench made it almost unbearable. Ali had to wear some sort of respirator just to keep herself from fainting.

Charmaine and James really did have it easy in this war against North Cretaceous, as all they had to do was churn out arms and sea vessels for the military to use against its opponents.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Long before its purchase by James Burnett, Delta Firearms has always prided itself at being in the pinnacle of small arms technology. And James sought to continue that legacy. When he bought the company, Delta Firearms had a prototype lightweight automated Machine Gun turret which could be mounted on dinosaurs. The problem was they lacked funding and so could not get the gun onto the mass market. Now with James at the helm, they could perfect the design thanks to his family vault and it didn't take long before they had fully functioning "production models" which could be sent to the military for field tests.

Made almost entirely from Carbon Fiber, this gun could even be dismounted and wielded by humans if desperate times came. But while this weapon was being flown to the resupply airfield in the West Coast, James was focused on the development of another weapon. Specialized units, especially the LRRPs, have been complaining about the lack of firepower in their Stoner 63 Automatic Rifles and the M60E6 which was the only alternative was simply too heavy for them.

That being said, they loved the amount of firepower the E6 offered and that got James thinking. If he could somehow lighten the M60E6, he would have the perfect solution for the LRRPs. And with this replacement, he could outperform the rival Stoner LMG currently under development by Stoner Arms Incorporated, the same company which produced the Stoner 63. James quickly found out he had a major headstart too. Tooling created specifically for the Automatic Weapon System(AWS) Turret could be used to produce other Carbon Fiber firearms.

"Okay guys, listen up." He said to the R&D Team. "I want you to make me a Carbon Fiber M60E6, we'll call it the E7."

"Sir, are you sure this is viable?" One of the team members asks. "Not to be too negative but the Stoner LMG seems to be the perfect replacement."

"LRRP prefers a 7.62 caliber machine gun and all they want is a lighter E6."

"Sounds simple enough." Another member said. "We'll just take the E6, make a few modifications, and produce it out of carbon fiber."

"Good idea, now get cracking. If you need a reference, there's a M60E6 at the armory."

While the previous boss at Delta Arms was very adamant about getting things done his way, James was more open. He wanted his R&D Team to express their creativity to the fullest and create the best possible product he could offer to the military. For now, the so called M60E7 was just on the drawing boards but the AWS was not. Five samples were already placed in crates and were enroute to North Cretaceous. Originally James planned to oversee the distribution of the weapon but the previous boss wanted to be in charge of distributing the last weapons project he oversaw.

Things couldn't be more different on Charmaine's side. While her boyfriend was busy developing new weapons and producing standard issue arms at the same time, she only had to build warships commissioned by the Navy. She was more conservative than James and left the task of drafting up new warships to her own team of engineers. Every time they thought of something new, they would simply send it over to the Department of the Navy where the higher ups would decide if these ships were viable. If they were, then the Nightingale Shipyard would put it on the list of ships to be constructed.

Neither of them however have ever been so busy. Before the war, both James and Charmaine could get home by 8pm but now, they usually arrived home by 12. As bosses, they could've left much earlier but both of them wanted to ensure things were running smooth till the last of the workers left.

"Another long tiring day, eh?" James yawns as he pours himself a cup of coffee. "Worse still, I have a business meeting here at the residence tomorrow."

"Hey, be grateful that you're not halfway around the world fighting a war." Charmaine reminds. "We just have to deal with people and sleep, Littlefoot and Ali have to worry about bodyparts and bombs."

"Yeah, I'd take this side of the bargain over that any day." He pours some sugar into his cup of black coffee. "You get as much sleep as you can, I'm pulling an all-nighter."

"Why?"

"Sometimes, a crime boss has to do something you'd never expect him to do…"

* * *

It was the dead of night and yet, there were still quite a lot of people on the streets of Monte Carlo out enjoying the Nightlife. James' business car, his Lamborghini Countach, attracted quite a lot of attention to say the least when he drove through the streets. Most supercar owners here drove modern day supercars, not classics from the eighties. And the sleek, spaceship-like design of the Countach was something which modern car makers simply could not copy due to vehicle safety laws.

The white color of the car also contrasted well with the night, giving it a very eighties vibe. That combined with the fact that he was once again wearing his Pastel outfit made people wonder if James was actually a time traveller from a bygone era. No, he wasn't. James wasn't just out here on a nostalgic night. He had a meeting with a Mafia associate; Donnie Tran, owner of Albatross Defense Systems, regarding some information he had about Imperial Spies in Elysium.

The place where they chose to meet up was at the Casino Royale, one of many businesses owned by James' associates. CCTV cameras were placed strategically to capture anyone getting in and out of the casino and there were armed guards posted to make sure no one was there to cause a ruckus. Everyone who went in or out were checked for suspicious items and those not on the ok-list were requested to leave their weapons in lockers assigned to them by the guards.

"Sorry man, I had to run a little late." James said as he ran up the steps.

"Chill, I'm not in a rush either." Donnie leads his associate into a soundproof meeting room. "Francesco gave us this room so we could talk freely."

"Let's get straight to business."

"First of all I'd like to make it clear that it's just my gut instincts." He places a picture of a young, attractive Eurasian on the table. "Natalie Li, she asked a lot of suspicious questions when she came to visit me."

"Now first of all, why in the hell would she visit you?"

"She heard from local street people that I am your associate, so she figured she could get to you through me."

"Okay, what exactly did she ask?"

"She wanted to know where your residence is so she can visit you."

"And did you tell her?"

"Everything about her sounded suspicious, of course I told her no."

"Adhering to the oath of Omerta, you're a good man Donnie." James whips out his encrypted Vertu Aster.

"Holy, that's a…"

"What?"

"Your phone, man."

"I needed something to go with my Lamborghini." He takes a picture of Natalie's photo. "Do you have her phone number?"

"Sure."

Armed with all the information he needed, James decides to deceive Natalie into thinking that he was interested. A spy in the Federation was not something to be taken lightly, especially since the enemy had cells already in place to conduct serious terrorist attacks


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

King Lancelot had expected that his forces would push the Elysians back towards the shore once they made it past the seawall but that never happened. With the bulk of his forces massed along the East Coast in anticipation of an attack here, it would be some time before they could be moved into position and in the meantime, those fighting the Elysians would have to throw whatever manpower they could into a defensive fight. Offensives were okay so long as they were skirmishes and not full on battles where the Imperial Troops were certain to lose.

Worse still, communications were being hampered by the fact that his messenger Pteranodons were being shot down by Elysian Troops with shotguns, forcing him to employ slower but more reliable ground based Indomimus Rex messengers. But because they were slower, by the time the news that Los Angeles has fallen arrived at the White Palace, the whole of California, Oregon, and Leister had been captured along with Arizona. Even though there was a central command in the Elysian Military, it served nothing more than to oversee the situation on the battlefield and report back to the president the current state of the war.

Generals and commanders on the ground were not bound by specific rules of engagement and could use any method they pleased to achieve a specific objective given by high command, though mobile warfare seemed to be everyone's tactic. This decentralized method of command allowed Elysian officers to quickly adapt to the rapidly changing battlefield and make the necessary decision. By contrast, Imperial Officers of North Cretaceous had to lead their men as ordered by Field Marshall Brad Sloane, the total commander of North Cretaceous Forces. And Brad didn't exactly lead from the front either.

He gave orders from his office and never stepped foot on the frontlines where his soldiers fought. When the order was given, his subordinate officers would follow the battle from lookout posts and direct the lower field officers who in turn would lead the men into battle, all of them taking great care not to change their plans without the Field Marshall's permission. Those who disobeyed him were stripped of all titles and disappeared while another officer took their place. It didn't matter if they were more experienced than Brad, he saw himself as the undisputed commander of the army and would not let a lowly subordinate change his plan.

The further failures at Nevada and Arizona didn't change his ways either and now, Idaho was the next doomed state. From the airbase established near Las Vegas, Colonel Richard May and Littlefoot boarded a C-130 Transport which was part of a flight of six transporting the entire Marine Battalion North. Capturing Idaho was vital to the war effort as it would not only cripple one of the enemy's main sources of food but also provide the army with an easy way to feed its soldiers. Air Cavalry units have already been dropped into key areas to conduct reconnaissance missions side-by-side with LRRPs.

"So I won't be playing any part in the fighting?" Littlefoot asked. "Or will I be carrying explosives once more?"

"No, command wants to use you as a test-bed for an experimental piece of gear." He answers. "Apparently it's some sort of automated gun turret."

"I'm getting turned into a tank?"

"Probably."

"Sounds dangerous and fun at the same time."

By 1320 hours, the Leister airfield slipped under the wings of the C-130 and they were soon on the ground. While the Marines assembled at the assembly area with the Colonel, Littlefoot was led to the armory where he met up with PFC. Robert Wayland. Like him, Robert too was testing an experimental weapon, a XM60E1LWHB, a lightened version of the standard issue M60E1 machine gun with a thicker "heavy barrel". It was hoped that this would become the replacement for the venerable M60E1.

"Are you sure you have the right gun?" Littlefoot asks. "That looks exactly like what you were carrying in Los Angeles."

"Well, it's considerably lighter and slightly shortened." He explains. "Though I would've loved it if they added MIL-1913 Picatinny Rail to allow users to add accessories if they desired."

Suddenly an engineer pulls Littlefoot away and takes him to a backroom where he dons his new piece of kit for the first time. Engineers have spent months fabricating the Kevlar Armor which covered every single part of his body and was capable of stopping a full powered 7.62x51mm Armor Piercing round. Head protection was equally impressive. Instead of a standard issue helmet, Littlefoot had a full face helmet with Kevlar on the inside to protect him from shrapnel.

Small holes were cut in the area where his nostrils were to allow him to breathe easier and the two ports where his eyes looked out from were fitted with bulletproof glass. On every single one of his legs were Kevlar boots for protection and care was made to place extra "hard plates" in the area where his vitals were. Finally, came the most important part of his kit; the AWS. It was, like Delta Arms said, an automatic machine gun turret and the machine gun they chose couldn't be better suited.

It was a M60C, designed primarily as offensive armament for aircraft and helicopters. The electronically operated nature of this firearm made it the perfect candidate for the AWS and with some modifications, James had a big ammunition box fitted onto the side which held up to 30,000 rounds of 7.62x51mm Armor Piercing Ammunition. Decked out in armor and armed with a machine gun capable of mowing down an entire army within a matter of seconds, Littlefoot would supplement the SAW gunners and smoke as many bad guys as he could while the Marines advanced.

On two separate occasions, Littlefoot made history. First, he showed that dinosaurs could be more than cannon fodder and now, he was about to become the first ever dinosaur to go into combat with the Elysian Devildogs. They left the base precisely one hour after arrival in a convoy of AAVs, heading towards the state owned Wesley Potato Farm, one of the largest potato farms and the kingdom's main source of potatoes. Directly behind the AAVs was a small troop of tanks. Since the enemy had no armored vehicles of its own, there was no need to put the tanks up front.

Everything was the same along the front as Elysian forces were once again on the move, smashing their way through Imperial defenses as they surged towards the capitol. Upon their arrival at the Wesley Potato Farm, the AAVs were met with absolute silence, highly unusual considering how important this farm was to North Cretaceous. Chaos and confusion on all other fronts was ruled out as captured messages from messengers who were shot down clearly indicated that all defenders stationed at potato farms are to hold out until explicitly ordered to pull back.

Knowing that he was the most armored of his comrades, Littlefoot volunteered to disembark from the AAV and investigate. When he did, there was still no sign of enemy action and the only thing which greeted him was the eerie silence. Other Marines including PFC. Robert Wayland were soon out of their AAVs and they began moving into the storage warehouses and administration building. Things quickly got weirder when they find these buildings empty as well.

Did the field commander panic and order a general retreat? Or did these defenders simply abandon their post out of fear? The fact that they've left all their belongings here seemed to suggest the latter. On the top floor of the administration building, PFC Robert looks out from the window while clutching his XM60E1LWHB. Compared to the M60E1 he had been carrying before, this gun was indeed lighter, so light that he could hold it one handed comfortably if he so desired.

Below him, the other Marines slowly moved out of the warehouses and carefully moved onto the farm itself. Suddenly, the sky darkened and as the men looked up, they were horrified to find hundreds of thousands of arrows raining down upon them. Fearful and in panic, they ran back towards the warehouses. Some were too slow and fell before they reached the doors while others hit the deck and prayed that their armor would be able to stop the large amount of arrows which would almost certainly hit them.

Inside the warehouse, Littlefoot was surprised to find panicked Marines running through the door. Suddenly the sound of machine gun fire catches his attention. It came from the administration building and there was only one man there who had a machine gun; PFC Robert Wayland. Littlefoot ran outside the warehouse, ignoring the Marines who shouted for him to stay inside. When he went through the door, the Apatosaurus found himself staring at the largest wave of men he had ever seen

So that's where they were, he thought. The defenders were extremely cunning in their defensive plan. Not only did they not fight toe to toe with the attackers but they lured the enemy into an area where they were weakest and enlisted the help of a nearby Ballista battery to deal heavy casualties. And now with the enemy in disarray, they charged, hoping to overwhelm them and capture some of the advanced "steel carriages" which almost certainly brought them into the battlefield.

Unfortunately for them, they failed to account for an armored Apatosaurus who had a rather nasty surprise for them. Littlefoot hits the deck and buried his head behind his front legs just as the computer on board the AWS identified the targets ahead of him.

 _RATATATATATATATATATATATATA_

Seconds after its carrier hit the deck, the M60C machine gun roared to life, guided by the AWS as it mowed down the attackers before they could get close. Suddenly, the sky darkened once more. The ballista battery had fired another salvo but Littlefoot refused to budge. Almost thirty arrows struck his armor but they failed to even scrape the paint off the AWS and it kept firing as the second wave came charging. From the top floor of the administration building, PFC Robert Wayland stared in awe as he watched the motionless Sauropod mow down the advancing imperial soldiers.

Robert could've been firing in support but he was too much in awe to do anything. A brave soul the young Apatosaurus was, so much so that his life mattered not if others lived. The firing continued for several minutes(in bursts as the machine was programmed not to allow the weapon to overheat quickly)and when it stopped, bodies littered the field which was the potato plantation. Several minutes passed before some of the Marines emerged from the warehouse where they find that Littlefoot still hadn't moved.

He was lying motionless where he was and the arrows stuck in him seem to suggest the worse. PFC. Robert Wayland rushed down from the administration building to join the rest of his comrades just as the radioman received reports that the Ballista Battery had been silenced by advancing Elysian Forces. Before the Potato Farm engagement, only a few of the Marines saw Littlefoot as one of their own due to the fact that he was a dinosaur.

All that has changed. Today all of Bravo Company witnessed the true bravery of the Apatosaurus who single handedly held back the enemy attack while his comrades were in disarray. Robert removed the Apatosaurus' full head armor and placed his hand on his nose to check for breathing.

When he did, he closed his eyes and sighed.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Slowly, Littlefoot opened his right eye. He wasn't sure if it was his comrades beside him or the enemy making sure that he was dead. When he saw PFC Robert's face, he knew the former was true. Littlefoot was almost caught off guard when he returned to base with his comrades and saw that his armor had protected him from what was certain death. His actions today have verified to the engineers that the armor they've made was more than sufficient for the job and that the gun from Delta Arms was absolutely flawless.

And with this amazing performance, the request for the adoption of the AWS was granted and the "armored dinosaur program" was granted extra funding to allow engineers to develop lighter weight armor for the four legged beasts to carry heavier loads of ammunition. There was even a plan to reorganize the surviving dinosaur battalions into "walking fire battalions". Many commanders loved the idea but Colonel Richard May specifically wrote a letter and exempted Littlefoot from being transferred.

He wanted someone like him to walk right through the enemy's front door and turn them all into minced meat. But Littlefoot's bravery wasn't just recognized by those on the frontlines. Everyone back home heard of the "machine gun Sauropod's final stand" and was touched by how he gave no regard for his own safety as he lay exposed in an open potato farm, not budging even when the arrows came down so that the gun could remain in action during the second wave.

President Jean Beauregard temporarily pulled Littlefoot back from the field so he could personally present him with the Medal of Honor, an event which was watched by many on television. Camera crews snapped dozens of pictures but not one of them showed Littlefoot smiling. He kept a straight face and like many before him, he did not feel like a hero and felt what he did was just part of his job.

Back in bootcamp, the commander drilled the basics of camaraderie into each and every one of his recruits. You don't look out for yourself but your comrade and in turn, he would look out for you. In war, you're not strangers or friends. Every soldier sees each other like a sibling; a brother. And when one soldier dies, everyone feels for him even though most don't even know him. Civilians will never understand the true side of the soldier; how he thinks; how he feels.

Only those in the service know, and they are the ones who fight in battlefields afar so the average civilian may sleep in peace at night and not have to worry about looking over the shoulder and seeing some lowly scum pointing a Kalashnikov or sword at them. After the medal presentation, Littlefoot met up with President Beauregard himself at the "Hero's Dinner" where they had a few words. Never in his life did the Apatosaurus think he would one day meet up with the most powerful man of Planet Earth and even have an opportunity to talk with him.

His mother would surely be proud of this.

But while there were plenty of powerful men in the State Dining Hall, Littlefoot noticed that one man was missing; his pal James. While the Don would've loved to attend his friend's "Hero's Welcome Home", he had other things to worry about. Yesterday Donnie Tran warned him about some sort of human informant or spy, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it all. Though he was not a government agent or part of any intelligence agency, James still wanted to get rid of this particular spy as she was threatening his business.

Since she was extremely secretive about her location, there was no way for him to track her down without having contacts in North Cretaceous. So he decides to play the part of a prospective businessman who sees this as a lucrative deal. James calls the number provided by Donnie Tran and less than a minute later, someone picked up.

"Is this James?" A rather seductive voice came through.

"Yes it is." He answers smoothly. "My business associate said you wanted to make a deal."

"Mr. Tran? Yes he has indeed."

"Casino Royale at zero hour, you know where that is, right?"

"Yeah."

The line went dead after that. She couldn't be more than sixteen, James thought. Her voice was that of an extremely young teenager, not a professional spy who spent years in the field honing her skills. Maybe she was just an informant and would not show up at the later scheduled meeting simply because she was not trained to act. Still, the meeting would go underway regardless on the off chance that she might show up. There would be more security of course, lest he wanted to be shot behind his back.

On the other side of the phone, Natalie cussed her bad luck. When James' rather prospective and smooth voice came through, she thought he might arrange to meet her at his office. If he did, she could simply ask the team of saboteurs to follow her as "bodyguards" and plant the bombs while she chatted. Now she had to act the part of a prospective customer and talk the talk. First things first, she needed a car to look like a well-to-do individual and the best place to search for one was at Gibb's Luxury Car Rental in Monte Carlo.

There were many models and brands to choose from, including a McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari, and Porsche 918; the Holy Trinity of the car world. They were of course off Natalie's mind at the moment. Her budget did not allow her to take Hypercars out for a spin, even for one day. She walked around the sports cars section, looking for something more "entry-level" like a Porsche 718 Boxster or Mercedes Benz SLK. These were well within her budget yet were still fully capable of creating the image she desired.

But then, she came across a Ferrari 550 Superamerica. Yes it was old, yes it wasn't the best looking of the old Ferraris, but at the end of the day, it was still a Ferrari. And even non-car guys knew only certain types of people could afford to drive an Italian Prancing Horse. To Natalia's delight, the 550 was also well within her budget and she put down the money to rent the car for the weekend, figuring she could drive around after having a conversation with James.

Before leaving her hotel room, Natalie made sure to put on lipstick and light makeup. She also throws a Beretta Jetfire into her small hand-purse in case James decides to try something. Down the roads of Monte Carlo she drove, ocassionally looking on the sidewalk, studying the nightlife of the vibrant principality. Oh, if only I could afford to get out of her small apartment in Marseille and move here, she thought. When she arrived at the place James chose for their meeting to take place, Natalie recognized some of the plate numbers on the cars parked there.

The Casino Royal was one of many places frequented by wealthy and powerful individuals. Tonight, Natalie would join their ranks momentarily as she met up with James in a private room. There was a bottle of wine on the table and a full poker card set should they decide to play a game of blackjack. Two men stood behind James, both carrying concealed MP9 machine pistols and Glock 19 pistols.

"Fancy a game of poker?" He asks. "Or a drink?"

"No thanks, I'd say we get right to business." She answers swiftly.

"Sounds like you're in a hurry."

"I am."

"Business? Or something I shouldn't stick my nose in?"

"The latter."

"If it's regarding a rival organization-"

"I'm not interested in organized crime, Mr. Burnett."

"Fine, we'll talk business. Donnie Tran told me you wanted to make a deal."

"Yeah, my organization wants two hundred mil-spec AR-15s to quell an uprising. If you have been reading the news-"

"Yes yes, the one in Africa regarding sentient lions or something."

"I see you are well informed."

"Two hundred guns shouldn't be an issue, I just need a deposit as insurance in case you decide to cancel the order."

"No, I want to inspect your factories first if I were to have trust in your capabilities. I don't trust words and pictures."

"Heh, tough luck. New wartime laws forbid anyone from visiting factories and production facilities vital to the war effort without permission from the government. Do you have a permit?"

"Uhm…"

"Get a permit, then we'll talk about visiting."

Strike one for Natalie. She should've done more research and updated herself with the latest news instead of watching reruns of reality shows every day. James was clearly a well-informed man and there weren't many laws he hadn't heard about.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Often times, the heroes of war are soldiers fighting in the frontline. This special breed of men put the safety of their comrades over their own and all of them are more than willing to die so others may live. Take Littlefoot for example. With a wave of enemy soldiers charging towards him and his own comrades in disarray after the Ballista bombardment, not only did he stand his ground but he remained in the field for as long as there were enemies threatening the Marines.

Even the second Ballista barrage which was more than capable of killing him did not move him. War he knew could take one's life and he knew the loss of a father was very much a burden for a family, having experienced such loss himself. Thus, he felt it was his duty to ensure the family members of his comrades, especially the children, would not suffer the same fate and go through the same difficult years as he did after the imprisonment of Bron and subsequent death of his mother.

But in this war between two vastly different civilizations, heroes were not limited to those on the battlefield. The fate of those who were seriously wounded rested in the hands of military doctors, nurses, and those working in the field hospitals. Many times, those who were on the brink of death were rescued from the grim reaper and granted more time to spend on Earth.

Among those who worked in these field hospitals was Ali. Originally she had been a helper who carried bags filled with bodyparts and trash to the incinerator but after the beach landings where Littlefoot demonstrated that his kind could do more than just act as support and cannon fodder; Ali was promoted to farewell duty after medics noticed her comforting a dying soldier in his final moments. It was not an easy job for her because every soldier she had to comfort had no chance of recovering and it was up to her to make sure they did not die in anguish.

Everything seemed fine at first and Ali seemed to be able to cope with being by soldiers' sides as they passed on but it quickly took its toll. The first signs of the job getting to her was when she watched Littlefoot receive the Medal of Honor. Instead of feeling proud for her boyfriend, she felt a little pissed off and irritated. Why is it that Littlefoot, who simply had to lay down in an open potato field and let the machine gun on his back do all the killing while at the same time remaining impervious to incoming enemy fire, would receive the highest military award for bravery and be recognized as a hero while she didn't?

After all, she helped so many soldiers through their final moments and had seen a lot more death than her boyfriend ever did. Heck, she helped the battlefield cleanup crew clear the beaches of bodies and obstacles after the landings were over. Yes, Littlefoot demonstrated extreme bravery under fire and clearly showed that he cared more about his comrades than himself. But what about his psychological and mental side? He didn't have to pull the trigger to kill the enemy; the machine did it for him.

And he didn't have to help his comrades through their final moments and bear with him the heavy feeling that he was the last one to see them alive, unlike her. The sound of an approaching Boeing 787 Corporate Jet could be heard behind her where the airport runway was situated and that could only mean one thing; Littlefoot had returned.

"Hey look, it's the badass!" She heard one of the soldiers shout jokingly as Littlefoot stepped off the plane.

"Nah, I'm just that guy from that movie that begins with R." He plays along with the soldier.

"So a killer gets all the credit…" Ali mutters under her breath as she watched her boyfriend turn in her direction with a smile on his face.

Clearly Littlefoot was happy to see his girlfriend again, though the same could not be said for her. Instead of a welcoming nuzzle, she told him to bugger off and gave him a hostile glare. When Littlefoot tried to ask why his girlfriend was acting this way, she ignored him and walked off in an attempt to shake him off her. But Littlefoot refused to back off. He continued to follow her, asking questions from time to time in the hopes of getting her to finally talk.

His tactic worked, only not as he had hoped.

"Everyone thinks you're a hero but not me." She scowled. "You're just a killer, a heartless one at that."

"Hey, it was either me or my comrades back there!" Littlefoot reasoned. "And I don't feel like a hero either."

"Lie on, jerk. Everyone who is awarded the Medal of Honor says the exact same thing."

"What's gotten into you, Ali? All this negative spirit-"

"Negative spirit? You're the negative one here, doing all the killing!" Ali looks away. "I help soldiers through their final moments; you kill them. I see every single soldier as a friend; you only view Elysian troops as friends. I-"

"Look, war is not roses and lollipops. I only viewed enemy troops fighting me as my enemy. Those who surrendered I see them as acquaintances." He tries to get closer but she moves away. "I know what you're thinking; this war is pointless. But it's not. Unlike that other war in the Middle East where we invaded a nation under the pretext of uniting the remaining independent continent under a single banner when it was really about oil, this one's about fighting for our loved ones at home. North Cretaceous launched a terror attack for Pete's sake!"

"Fuck you! And all your dead comrades whom I sacrificed my mental health for!"

This was the first time Littlefoot heard his girlfriend swear and he knew there was nothing he could do to help her. Their relationship seemed at an end too, especially since he knew where Ali would go next. Fortunately, there was an upside to all this. Without a girlfriend and with his own father still gulaged, Littlefoot had nothing to lose and that meant he could focus on keeping his comrades alive without having to worry about leaving behind someone he had to take care of.

* * *

It was early evening when Ali found herself strolling by the beach. Bodies of the fallen and blood were long gone and in their place was a scenic location. With the fleet stationed just off shore, there was really no need to construct beach defenses as it would be impossible for the enemy to conduct a beach landing. She sits down on the sand and sighed, the strain of work ever so burdening. Frankly speaking, the title "hero" never mattered to her, nor did the medals. Ali just wanted to be recognized for her sacrifice just like Littlefoot.

Speaking of Littlefoot, word was getting around that his unit would be tasked with flying into the Great Valley once the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Air Cavalry Division secured an LZ. In the Elysian military, the Air Cavalry and Marine units were often the first to venture into enemy territory. This would be the first time Littlefoot would be riding into battle with his comrades by helicopter, and it seemed like a thrilling experience waiting to happen.

Who wouldn't want to travel faster than a Pteranodon in a steel flying beast bristling with anti-personnel armament?

Just then, Ali felt a pat on her back and turned to find Justina Alpine standing right next to her. She too was out here to take a short break from work.

"Rough day, huh?" She remarks.

"Yeah." Ali answers. "I had to tend to more than twenty men."

"That means I'll have twenty more reports to make. Man, it must be a tough fight in Idaho."

"Speaking of fights, why can't we be recognized for our sacrifices? Sure, our soldiers risk their lives fighting for the safety of our citizens but what about us? We sacrifice too, even if it's more of a mental sacrifice than physical one."

"I get ya, Ali. But hey, it's always better to be the unsung hero."

"Like a dark knight."

"Yup. We might not get recognized, but at least we won't have to worry about having flashing cameras and paparazzis following us everywhere we go. Think about it, this is kind of the better deal."

"I guess…"

"Come on now, I'm a little thirsty."

"For what? Seawater?"

"No, a nice cocktail. I heard some guy made a deal with the army and set up a cocktail bar in Los Angeles within days of it being captured."

"Yeah, I've heard of it. It's more of a cocktail stall though."

"I still want a cocktail."

"Well I guess I could use one as well." Ali gets back on her feet. "Let's go."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Yeah, I'll bear that in mind."

"By the way, MI6 agents might be dropping by your residence around 1500."

"You're the most beautiful lady I've seen, Charmaine. Now you just hooked me up with an early break, what else could I possibly want?"

"A little action tonight."

Both of them shared a lighthearted chuckle before bidding the other farewell on the phone. Ah yes, James was indeed the luckiest man in all of Monte Carlo. His power was growing by the minute and he had a very beautiful young lady by his side. Today he was driving to work in his new daily; a Ferrari 599 GTO. The Gallardo might've been a fun car to drive but the Don realized he needed a more practical car for the day when he would have a family.

Powerful, fast, yet incredibly practical thanks to its more traditional front-engined design and large trunk space, the 599 GTO was exactly what James needed. And it was fast too, allowing him to get out of unfavorable situations on a dime.. Right behind the 599 GTO was a Ferrari 550 Superamerica, a car he owned but never really took for a spin mainly because the retractable roof was somewhat of a bucket. But James knew this particular 550 wasn't piloted by another old bloke who had succeeded in life.

Ever since he entered Monte Carlo, the car had never disappeared from his rear view mirror and it seemed intent on staying there till he reached his office in Menton. "Okay then, let's see how fast this thing runs." James puts his Ferrari into race mode and stomps on the gas, causing the car to shoot forward and push him back into his seat. Unbeknownst to him, the person driving the 550 Superamerica was Natalie and she too began to speed up, realizing that her target had been spooked.

Unfortunately for her, while their cars both had V12 engines, the 599 was the successor to the 550, and had better performance characteristics. Worse still, James' 599 was the GTO; the road-legal version of the monstrously powerful 599XX. These factors coupled with the fact that he had been doing high speed driving up and down this stretch of road ever since his Gallardo days gave him a massive advantage in the high speed chance. While Natalie braked hard every time she neared a corner and only came on the throttle after clearing it, James only stepped on the brakes lightly and he gunned the gas at the halfway point to power through.

On sharper corners he throws the car sideways and drifts through, something most sane people would not do on public roads. Though James could gain considerable amount of distance, he could not shake the Ferrari off his back. The road he was on led straight to Menton and if his pursuer wasn't dumb, she would know he had no way to run. So, just like an average Joe dealing with a stalker, he stops his car and emerged from the driver side door.

Guns were part of Elysian culture and most people packed heat. Now an average Joe would pull a Glock or CZ-75 but James drew a black slide on silver frame reverse two-tone Sig Sauer P220 from his shoulder holster rig. He recently acquired this gun to replace the old M1911A1 as his primary carry piece, figuring the ability to draw and pull the trigger without having to disengage the safety was a major plus.

"Well, isn't that a familiar face." James said, assuming a more professional two handed grip. "Why were you tailing me?"

"I wasn't!" Natalie answers. "I was taking a cruise."

"Yeah right, says the one who had been tailing me long before I left Monte Carlo."

"I-It was a coincidence."

"Coincidence my ass, Natalie. Your tone of voice and body language are telltale signs of you lying."

"B-But I'm-"

"Get in the car and turn the other way." He warns. "I see you tailing me again and you'll be six foot under. If you still want to discuss the deal, meet me in Cassidy's Place at 2100."

Strike two for Natalie. Once again she had underestimated her opponent, this time his ability to drive, and flunked yet another chance of finding his office or his factory. Worse still, she nearly lost the deal she had been working so hard to get. Contrary to popular belief, Delta Defense' headquarters was James' residence. His two "offices", one each at the assembly plants and one in Menton, were actually private quarters for him should he decide to personally oversee his workers or assist the R&D team. They also acted to conceal the true office's location as no one really knew where it was.

* * *

The CH-47 Chinook carrying Littlefoot touched down on a wide open area of the Great Valley which Command had designated the LZ. He was the first one to step off the chopper but by the time he got off, other soldiers were already on the ground and have secured a perimeter. So far, there was no sign of the enemy and it seems there might not even be a local Imperial Garrison. Not willing to take their chance, Colonel Richard May orders his soldiers to begin securing the Valley along with soldiers of the 7th Air Cavalry Regiment led by Lt. Colonel Harold Turnbull.

Sure enough, some units began encountering enemy resistance. But these were just small pockets of resistance by stragglers and the wounded that were left behind, not a concentrated enemy force from a garrison. It quickly became clear to Elysian Forces that the enemy might've abandoned the Valley under orders from General Brad Sloane or the officer in charge of the Great Valley misunderstood General Brad's subordinate field commanders and ordered his men to evacuate.

Whatever the case was, the resistance in the valley was relatively light and the locals were quite welcoming too. As Littlefoot relived the memories of his early childhood years here, he couldn't help wonder if those young dinosaurs he made friends with were still around. Every now and then he would sort of regret his decision to join his mother and father on the ship to Elysium instead of remaining behind with his friends and late grandparents.

How carefree his life would've been if he just held his curiosity back for once?

"OOOF!"

Distracted by his thoughts, Littlefoot failed to notice where he was going and bumped into a female Triceratops who incidentally was as old as he was. Both of them glared at each other momentarily and they seem to feel they've met one another before. It can't be her, Littlefoot thought. Still, he tried his luck.

"Cera?" He said.

"Who are you?" She questions confusedly.

"It's me, Littlefoot."

"Littlefoot…"

Little by little, the memories of her early childhood days began flooding back to Cera and soon, she realized who was standing in front of her. They embraced one another like the day before Littlefoot departed for a new life in Elysium and shared an affectionate nuzzle of friendship. It had been such a long time since they've met and Cera could tell Littlefoot was more than just the happy go lucky "longneck" that he was before. He was a warrior and the look on his face(he asked one of the soldiers to take it off after deciding to have a walk)told her that he had been through more than one engagement.

The two ran over to the old watering hole they used to meet when there were kids where the old gang met up with each other. Well, the original five anyways. According to Cera, Ruby had been killed by the now exiled Chomper when he reached adulthood and turned. A sad story but at least the original Gang of Five was back, this time as "grownups" with responsibilities. Cera was the new leader of the Great Valley, Littlefoot was an Elysian soldier, and the rest were all members of the Great Valley Ruling council.

* * *

Ever since the confrontation with Natalie, James felt no need to restrain himself or build an image of a "successful businessman" anymore. For tonight's meeting, he put on the same outfit he did as when he went to meet with his underbosses; a rather mafia looking suit and tie combo and Fedora hat. And he would not be driving his Ferrari 599 GTO either. The garage shutter of James' residence opens and the Don himself rolled out in a bright white 1986 Ferrari Testarossa which sported the earlier single high mounted driver-side mirror.

Since it was night, he activates the pop up headlights before leaving the compound. The radio was playing "In The Air Tonight" By Phil Collins, one of his favorite songs from the 80s. Usually when this song played, he would be on his way to confront one of his enemies but tonight, he was just out for a not so friendly talk with someone who was clearly an enemy informant if not a spy. Cassidy's place, the avenue he picked for the meeting, was relatively quiet compared to the other Cafés in town and unlike patrons elsewhere, everyone here minded their own business.

By the time he arrived, Natalie was already waiting for him at the café. She didn't bother to greet him, probably because of the awkward moment she created by bombing her chance to follow James to the office.

"So, you got the money?" He asked as soon as he sat down. "Or is this going to be a sit down and talk type of thing?"

"Well, I did say that I won't give you the payment till I inspect your production line." She answers. "But I have something else to back me up this time."

"And what might that be?"

"This." Natalie puts a binder on the table. "Go ahead."

"Okay…" James shoots the young Eurasian lady, who was clearly one or two years younger than him, a suspicious look, not sure what to expect.

When he saw the first page, he smiled and shook his head. Clever girl, he thought. Right in front of him were the necessary papers needed for her to be given permission to tour his factory. She definitely paid the licensing officer a large sum to have her permit approved so quickly. James takes a deep breath and sighs, realizing that he was now the decision maker. At the end of the day, permit or no permit, it was up to the factory owners to decide if their customers could visit or not. And James had to say yes since he had to play the part of a prospective businessman.

"How much of a bribe did you give the guy who approved your permit?" He asks.

"About a hundred thousand dollars."

"Your employer must be rich."

"Then again, he does own a private military corporation."

"Right." He shuts the binder. "March 23rd, get your own transport."

"But I have no idea where to go."

"Take a plane to Stuttgart airport, I'll be waiting."

"Is it okay if I bring my guys over? They're my bodyguards."

"Go ahead, though let's just say Stuttgart isn't exactly a hotspot for terror attacks."

Both of them shook hands and left the café. Natalie grinned when she returned to her Ferrari. Finally she outsmarted James and all she had to do now was to buy a plane ticket for herself and the sabotage team and fly into Stuttgart to meet James. Right behind her, James gets into the driver's seat of his Ferrari Testarossa with a rather devious smile on his face. Oh, how could she have possibly fallen for that?


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Their reunion wasn't very long ago, yet Cera felt a warm and fuzzy feeling overcome her whenever she looked at Littlefoot and when he turned to glare at her, she looked away and her cheeks immediately redden in sheer embarrassment. From the day she hit puberty until now, Cera never dated any member of her own species unlike the rest of her friends, who all had working relationships. Though she herself could be brash and slightly arrogant at times, Cera never really liked her own kind.

She considered them too bossy and would rather stay single than date someone. Now that Littlefoot was back, her heart was changing. No, she wasn't going for a member of her species, she was falling for Littlefoot the Apatosaurus. It didn't matter if they weren't the same kind. "Love knows no boundaries." she recalls Etta saying to her when she visited the valley a year ago with a migratory herd. Now more than a year later, the Pteranodon's words finally became relevant to Cera.

Thanks to her friends sharing what they did wrong when proposing, Cera knew what she needed to do and what she needed to avoid. Instead of telling Littlefoot straight away, she would wade in little by little, and first of all, they would need to rekindle and tighten their friendship which had become cold after Littlefoot's departure. She starts hanging around him more often and they spent a lot of moments reminiscing their childhood. General Raffles' decision to let the motorized infantry and armored vehicles take the spearhead and plow through helped Cera greatly by granting her more time with her crush.

On his fifth night in the Great Valley, Littlefoot climbed up the highest ledge along with Cera. Both of them were restless and figured they would admire the beautiful scenery and chat for a bit till they were tired.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Cera remarks.

"I haven't seen such an amazing sight in years." Littlefoot answers.

"Years? What do you mean, "years"?"

"One year is three hundred and sixty five days; three hundred and sixty six if it's a leap year. You'll learn that if you live in Elysium long enough."

"Ahh… Speaking of Elysium, you ever met a mate there?"

"Just one, my old friend Ali."

"Oh… How lucky." She sighs and placed her head on the ground. "I found someone I love, but I don't know if I should propose."

"I just seized the initiative when both of us felt a romantic atmosphere in the air. But don't call me lucky, Ali and I broke up."

"Really? Why?"

"She thinks I'm a murderer for mowing down those Imperial Troopers, even though I did that to save my comrades."

"Wait, you're the one who did that?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You're braver than I thought."

"Hey, you're not that far off either."

Littlefoot waited and waited, still there was no response from his friend. Finally, he turned to look at her and finds that she had fallen asleep. Sleepyhead, he thought. Oh well, it was getting late anyways. Knowing his friend would be up here all by herself and unwilling to wake her up, Littlefoot decides to sleep up here for the night. He snuggles right next to her and placed his neck on Cera's back. Tonight was a rather cold night and they would need all the warmth they could get.

* * *

While he never really had much contact with his son after he moved out, Charles knew he was after a spy. Thanks to his MI6 associates, he also knew James was planning to lure her to his factory where his Mafioso would apprehend her with the help of government agents. Willing to do anything to gain the chance to reconcile with his son, Charles dug deeper into the case and realized this was more than just espionage. Natalie was nothing more than an informant and someone to throw the government off.

The main threat was from a team of saboteurs who sailed hundreds of miles and landed in the country illegally just a few days after Natalie made contact with James. And with the help of local gangbangers, they sourced enough illegal explosives to completely knock Delta Defense out of commission long enough that it would play no part in the war effort for the remainder of the war. MI6 had been informed about the spy by Charmaine on the orders of James but they had no info about the saboteurs.

This meant James too had no idea he was dealing with more than just your average spy. Charles realized this would be a good opportunity to reconcile with his son and decides to act on his own. He orders Caporegime Angelo to take a team of Soldatos down to the Park Inn where the saboteurs are alleged to be staying in based on reports from his informants. To avoid airport security checks and baggage claims, they take Charles' personal Learjet over to Stuttgart airport and left not too discreetly in a fleet of blacked out Mercedes Benz W126 AMGs.

Everyone in the convoy with the exception of the drivers was equipped with M1928A1 Tommy guns fitted with 50-round drums while the driver themselves had MP9 machine pistols for defensive use. Each car was also outfitted with bulletproof windows and bodywork. The receptionist at the Park Inn didn't bother to call the cops or do anything when she saw the men disembarking from the convoy of cars with their weapons out in the open, even though she knew who they were.

Better to remain silent than end up six foot under the ground. The Soldatos take the stairs instead of the elevator to mask their movements, climbing six floors up to reach the room where the sabotage team was located. "Three, two, one!" They kick the door down and unleashed hell with their Tommy guns, spraying the room full of lead as two Indomimus Rexes leapt from the bed in an attempt to tackle the gunmen; they were both shot to pieces. Now just the human members remained.

One of them had been in the toilet when the gunfire began and when he emerged to investigate he was instantly tackled to the ground. The final member found himself cornered on the balcony with nowhere to run. The Soldatos raise their Tommy guns but before they could fire, he takes a leap of faith and splats onto the ground below, dying from his wounds not too long after. Job well done for Angelo and his Soldatos, now time for them to clean up the mess and leave the scene.

"Keep the room closed until my boss tells you otherwise." Angelo said to the receptionist before departing.

Their bodies gone, room kept closed, and with no records of them entering the country, the sabotage team simply vanished, never to be seen again. Though some of the hotel's guests have heard the sound of machine gun fire, none of them reported to the police for fear of retribution from Charles Burnett. And since there was no news about the shooting, Natalie had no idea that she had been compromised. An anonymous letter was sent to James to inform him of the shooting and that he should think of something to say when he met with his "customer".

Having personally cameoed in movies alongside big movie stars who were associates of his, James knew a thing or two about acting and improvising lines. On the day of the visit, he flew into Stuttgart in his Kestrel Aviation BBJ787 and met up with Natalie who had rented yet another Ferrari 550 Superamerica for the meet.

"Could you wait for a while?" She asks. "My bodyguards are running late."

"Ah yes, I was going to tell you about it." James responds. "There has been a change of plans."

"What change?"

"Due to security reasons, your bodyguard team has gone ahead with mine to check the area for ambushers. I have received a death threat from one of my enemies."

"Oh, okay then."

"You uhm want to enter one of the Benzes or join the convoy in your Ferrari?"

"The latter."

"Okay then, let's rumble."

Natalie smiled deviously as she watched James climb into the back of his Maybach Pullman Guard. Not only did he grant her permission to view his factory but he was also giving her control of her Ferrari. If things went south, she could speed off, using the powerful engine to her advantage. Speaking of things going south, the sabotage team was supposed to arrive in a Mercedes Benz G-Wagen and ferry her to the factory along with the convoy under the pretext of being her bodyguards.

Did James really receive a death threat which was enough to cause his own security team to rope in her sabotage team for assistance or was there something bigger she should be aware of? Well the answer would come, but not now. The convoy left Stuttgart airport and made its way into Obendorf, the center of arms manufacturing for Elysium. It was here where famous manufacturers like Heckler & Koch and Walther GmbH churned out guns for the government and for civilians.

This was also the place of Delta Arms' new factory. Opened just two days before the invasion began, it nearly tripled the amount of guns produced by Delta Arms and, when combined with the still running factory in Suhl(which James did not inform Natalie about), made Delta Arms the largest firearms manufacturer on the continent of Elysium.

"Well here we are." James said as he disembarked from his car. "You ready for the tour?"

"Not when my bodyguards aren't here." She answers. "Where are they?"

"You won't be needing them, Natalie."

 _SCHKLIKT KLIKT_

MI6 agents disembarked from the convoy of Mercedes Benz G-Wagens as James pointed his Mossberg 590A1 Tactical at Natalie. So this was why James said her bodyguards weren't here with her. All of a sudden, Natalie realized her opponent had been playing her this whole time and she had Mr. Donnie Tran to thank for that. If she bothered to look back at the amount of time it took for James to call her after her private chat with Donnie, she would know he most likely met up with the Don to inform him about her.

But there was no time to reflect. MI6 agents were approaching her and there was a shotgun aimed right at her face. Natalie throws her Ferrari into reverse and executes a perfect J-turn, catching James and the agents off guard. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get far before James appeared in her rear view mirror, only this time he wasn't driving his usual Ferrari 599 GTO. What he was driving this time was an Aston Martin V12 Vantage, one of the few cars he owned which was not part of his collection.

At every single one of his factories, James made sure to park at least one high performance car for emergencies and he had two sets of keys; one at the boss' office and the other on his person at all times. MI6 scrambles one of its helicopters which was stationed nearby and the pilots caught up with James and Natalie just as they reached the autobahn. Here on the highway with no speed limits, it was a battle of wits and a battle of who could drive their cars the fastest.

Today's traffic was relatively light and that allowed both cars to reach amazing speeds, sometimes even surpassing what the manufacturer suggested on their advertising. Just like the chase along the Riviera, the age of their cars made a huge difference and once again, James was driving the newer car. Little by little, he inched towards Natalie and was ready to pull a pit maneuver on her when she suddenly stomps on the brakes. James performs a 180 change in direction and throws the car into reverse.

He grins coldly and pushes a button which did not come standard on most Astons. To be honest, his so called "V12 Vantage" didn't even sound like one either. Turns out this car had its engine replaced with a custom built supercharged V8 and the extra room was occupied by a whole host of James Bond inspired gadgets. The front lower grille opened up, revealing six laser guided rockets. At the same time, the side vents opened up and two 5.56 caliber machine guns popped out.

"Let's see if the movies even make any sense." James grins.

 _RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA_

Bullets penetrated the grille of the Ferrari, as Natalie glared in horror at what she saw in the windscreen. Fearing James might have some sort of mortar, she raises the roof. Unfortunately for her, there was a big surprise in store. It had been raining the night before and she noticed that the roof had collected water while in its down position. Not a total idiot, Natalie chose not to raise the roof that time but here, in the midst of gunfire and the sight of a fully armed Aston, she makes a panicked decision to raise the roof.

And as Richard Hammond once warned, the water quickly splashed into the cabin the minute the roof was folded over, drenching her in cold rainwater. At the same time, James fired one of his rockets at her. Set on airburst mode, it shrieked towards its target and exploded directly over the car, shattering the glass pane of the roof and causing chards to rain down on Natalie. If a second missile exploded overhead, she would be in serious trouble.

But the second missile never came. James knew Natalie would be useless if she was dead and though chances of shrapnel from the missile actually killing her were slim, he could not afford to take the chance. Instead he pushes the machine gun trigger located on gear knob and puts a few more holes through the engine. Shouldn't be long before the engine began to sputter and fail, he thought. Smoke began to rise from the engine and the Ferrari was visibly starting to slow down.

Natalie hits the instrument panels in frustration but there was nothing much she could do. Her rented Ferrari had taken quite a beating and would need a full engine and body restoration to bring it back to pristine working condition. Behind her, MI6 agents closed in with their performance enhanced Jaguar XJLs. There was no way Natalie was running away from them in her battered Ferrari and she knew it. Thus, she made the decision to ditch the car and flee into the forest.

"Woah! Easy there Don Burnett." One of the agents shouted as he saw James pull up next to the Ferrari and emerge with his right hand reaching for his shoulder holster. "We'll take it from here."

"The President thanks you for your service." Another agent adds.

"You're welcome." He answers

* * *

Having proved her worth helping soldiers on their final moments, the local Elysian High Command attaché decides to assign Ali with one of the rear echelon units flying into the Great Valley and did so after receiving consent from the actual boots on the ground and their officers. Like Littlefoot, she was transported into the Great Valley in the back of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Upon her arrival, she was immediately taken on a tour of the local medical station where she would work at for the time being.

But with no one dying yet, her superiors allowed her to roam freely around the valley along with everyone else. Since she knew Littlefoot was in the area, Ali decides to visit her ex-boyfriend and try to reconcile with him. Unfortunately for her, she might've come too late to save their relationship. At the edge of a forest, she found Littlefoot, only he was lying on the ground laughing out loud with Cera, his childhood friend. While interspecies relationships were rare, they weren't unheard of, and if love blossomed between Littlefoot and Cera, they could begin a relationship if they chose to.

"It's been great seeing you again." Littlefoot sighs and looks up into the sky.

"Something wrong?" Cera asks.

"We're getting on the move soon. Command wants us to take Zion Canyon."

"You mean that place which looks EXACTLY like the Great Valley."

"Not exactly but close."

"I thought the tanks were supposed to be the ones leading the charge."

"Hmm, why are there no tanks here?" Littlefoot asks sarcastically.

"And I thought I was the sarcastic one." She rolls her eyes. "Where did you pick that from?"

"James Burnett, he's a friend of mine."

"Wait, you know that crime lord?"

"Didn't I tell you about the McDonalds case already?"

"Yeah but I thought you two were enemies."

"Well if you know who his father was, you'd know why he did it."

"So his father wouldn't kill him."

"Precisely."

As she watched the two chat on, Ali sighed in disappointment. She was really regretting not controlling her emotions and letting it all off on her boyfriend. Just then, she caught the last word of Cera's sentence; "you". Littlefoot's facial expression quickly changed and he turns to look at her. Clearly he was in shock and at a loss for words. Slowly, his expression softened and he smiled. Moments later, they were nuzzling one another affectionately. Like the time when James pounced on Charmaine at his residence, there was a fiery passion between Littlefoot and Cera.

Throughout his short relationship with Ali, Littlefoot never experienced something like this, nor did he feel such red hot passion for his partner. Cera changed all that today and you could say he was having the time of his life. Ali could not bear to watch her ex any longer and backed off into the forest, feeling depressed and disappointed with herself. She walks back to the medical station and sits down at her post with her head on the ground. Though she tried to control it, tears fell loosely from her eyes every now and then.

Nearby, one of the medics plugs in his CD player and the first song to be played was a familiar tune; "The Last Unbroken Heart" by Patti LaBelle and Bill Champlin. What a coincidence, Ali thought. Before Littlefoot left her, she had never felt heartbroken before and in some ways did feel her heart was one of the few last unbroken hearts. Now thanks to her stupid little mistake, her boyfriend was gone, off having the time of his life with another girl he knew from childhood.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Gunshots rang just outside the Casino Royale, causing nearby civilians to scream and dive for cover. Those who were carrying concealed weapons drew their guns and prepared to fire back in self-defense should the need arise. James burst out from the staircase entrance holding his Sig Sauer P220 in his hand, firing two shots in Natalie's direction before giving chase. In response, she fires two blind shots in his direction but both their shots failed to hit each other.

Five minutes out, MI6 agents were racing to the scene once again in their Jaguars but this time, they brought along a tactical team in case things got heated. Natalie took cover behind a white Toyota Prius and took aim with her Walther PPS. James sees the threat ahead of him and dives down behind a Volvo S90, firing a few shots from underneath the car in the hopes of hitting his foe's legs. For almost a minute, the two exchanged fire from their pistols and reloaded whenever they ran dry.

James surveys the parking lot behind the relative safety of the Volvo's tough body, hoping to find a better place to fire from. Located in the rear row and directly behind Natalie was a Lamborghini LM002, an SUV designed by the company originally for military trials. Tough and big, it provided ample cover for James and it sat high enough that he could fire from underneath with relative ease. All he had to do was to make a run for it and hope his armor would be able to stop an incoming projectile from the side.

"Here goes nothing." He gets up and fires a few shots before dashing across towards the black colored SUV.

From where she was, Natalie could spots her foe making a run for it and empties the magazine of her PPS in his direction. By some miracle, all her shots missed and James makes it to the other side, taking a deep sigh of relief when he did. Now he was on Natalie's flank, James takes aim with his pistol and fires in her direction, successfully hitting her in the left shoulder and abdomen before she crawled to safety. At this point both their guns were out of ammunition but James had something else to count on.

He draws his Smith & Wesson Model 669 backup pistol and cautiously begins moving towards his foe. When he reached the Prius, Natalie still hadn't gotten up or tried to pistol whip him yet. A businessman who had been a guest at casino runs out to assist Don Burnett and he moves around the other side of the Prius with his Dornaus & Dixon Bren Ten drawn. Both of them found Natalie with her back against the grille of the Prius, bleeding profusely and with her gun lying on the ground, its slide locked back on an empty magazine.

"Shoot me." She goads. "Come on, you know you want to."

"Nah, where's the fun in that?" James grins. "I'll let MI6 torture you."

The first of the Jaguar XJLs soon arrived along with a black armored van and Natalie was soon taken away with a medic tending to her wounds. James places his backup pistol back in his IWB holster and turns towards the businessman who assisted him.

"So, what's your name?" He asks.

"Crockett, Sonny Crockett." The man answers.

"You're that cop who used to go after drug dealers and all sorts of crooks!"

"Yeah, but then I realized it was useless catching them since most of those I put on trial usually walk."

"So you quit."

"And became a businessman."

"What sort of business are we talking about?"

"I run a few casinos down here in Monte Carlo."

"Care to become an associate?"

"If that means gaining protection? Sure."

Both men shake hands and went back to their own cars, both headed for home. This was certainly an interesting way to become each other's associate.

* * *

Two weeks might seem like a long break but for Cera, it was gone in one blink. With orders to proceed to the Zion Canyon along with the rest of his comrades, Littlefoot would depart the Great Valley today. Led by Cera, the Gang of Five made it to the Great Valley FOB with minutes to spare. They were there to greet their old pal goodbye and wish him a safe journey. There was no telling when and if the Apatosaurus, who had led the Gang during their early childhood years, would ever return from this sortie.

Based on intelligence reports and satellite and drone images, Imperial Forces have turned Zion Canyon into their stronghold. Elysian Infantry have tried for months to break their defenses but failed on every single occasion. Their siege didn't do much to the defenders there either as they were being resupplied by a complicated and vast network of underground tunnels dug long before the war began. Littlefoot and his Marine comrades would fly into Zion Canyon along with the 7th Air Cavalry Regiment and hopefully overwhelm the defenders with air and artillery support.

"Promise me you'll come back home." Cera buries her face into Littlefoot's front.

"I'm in a suit of armor." He nuzzles her. "Of course I will."

From her work station, Ali silently watched her ex as he exchanged goodbyes with his friends and new girlfriend. Colonel Richard May's unmistakable voice called out in the distance and Littlefoot what he had to do. He nuzzle Cera for the final time before walking over to the awaiting CH-47 Chinook, joining the Colonel and the rest of his comrades as they set off for Zion Canyon. Fighter Bombers shrieked past the Chinook on their way to unleash their payload of MK77 Kerosene Bombs, the successor to the Napalm Bombs of old.

The Chinook climbs up to cruising altitude and joins up with an entire flight which was headed for Zion Canyon. Smaller faster UH-1 Huey helicopters flew ahead of the Chinooks. They were carrying the 7th Air Cavalry Regiment and it would be the Air Cavalry which would secure an LZ for everyone else to safely disembark. Just like the Marines, the Air Cav also had an armored dinosaur with them and just like Littlefoot he was also armed with an AWS, only his had an automated M307 Grenade Launcher instead of the regular M60C machine gun; a true testament to the AWS platform's modularity.

Flying into the canyon with such firepower, the 7th Cavalry could easily wipe out an entire wave of enemies on their own if they had to. Two minutes earlier than their estimated arrival time, soldiers of the 7th touched down in the canyon and immediately went to work securing an LZ upon disembarking. They were split into three platoons, the first would stay behind with Lt. Colonel Harold Morgan and his staff to get the LZ prepped while the two other platoons went off to clear the immediate area of enemy troops.

Rhett, the Antarctosaurus carrying the AWS, would remain at the LZ to counter the very likely scenario of the enemy launching a dinosaur wave attack. Second platoon led by Lt. Henderson made contact almost immediately upon entering the brush. The enemy had placed a forward team of four Indomimus Rexes to relay information back to their field commander about what was happening in the front. Unlike other units of the Imperial Army, they used captured radios instead of messenger Pteranodons to speed things up.

Unfortunately for the forward team however, Lt. Henderson and his men were all armed with guns instead of swords and they quickly gunned them down before the message was sent. That being said, the Field Commander did hear gunfire through the radio and immediately knew the enemy was coming. Well he knew the enemy was coming when he heard the sound of choppers but now he knew the enemy was coming towards his HQ. And luckily for him, he had a secret weapon to count on.

Immediately after the invasion begun, King Lancelot realized his army was severely underequipped and immediately sent out an international request for aid even though he knew the nations in South Cretaceous were neutral and Elysium was his enemy. No official government answered but one particular Elysian "businessman" did. His name was Billy Dillinger, a well-known gun runner who worked for the private armies waging a war against the sentient lion pride and its armed human wing.

Much like the late Richard Nightingale, Billy Dillinger was a man of profits and he didn't care who he worked for. He was happy to work with you so long as there were large sums of cash to be earned. When King Lancelot promised half a million Elysian dollars' worth of gold, Billy jumped on the bandwagon and sent fifty 1930s era Type 92 machine guns. Designed in Japan, they competed in the 1934 Machine Gun Trials but lost out to the MG-34 machine gun which not only became the new medium machine gun but also the first General Purpose Machine Gun in Elysian service, replacing the old Browning Automatic Rifle and M1919A4 light machine gun.

And now these supposedly rejected medium machine guns would face the brunt of Lt. Henderson's assault as Imperial Troopers set themselves up in a line of machine gun nests with interlocking fields of fire. The Elysian soldiers moved on, oblivious to the fact that they were about to be gunned down. Henderson had always been known as an aggressive platoon leader. He never liked to play the defensive and preferred to bring the fight to the enemy instead of waiting for them.

 _TACTACTACTACTACTACTAC_

 _TACTACTACTACTACTACTAC_

The slow woodpecker like sound of the Type 92 was unmistakable and despite being old, it was still very deadly. Lt. Henderson was the first to be mowed down, followed by the soldier behind him. Sgt. Apache, now taking command of the platoon, orders everyone to hit the deck and crawl for cover under the relentless pounding of machine gun fire. Back at the LZ, the Marine Chinooks were landing one at a time. Littlefoot met up with Rhett, whom he had a great dislike for due to his cocky and brash attitude.

Girls might like him for being such a bad boy but not Littlefoot. He made a point to stay the hell away from Rhett, at least till the firing started, and hang around Colonel Richard May and his staff.

"Lt. Henderson! Do you copy? Say again, Lt. Henderson do you copy." Lt. Colonel Morgan slams the radio receiver down. "Dammit!"

"Something wrong?" Colonel May asks.

"Second platoon is unresponsive and I heard plenty of gunfire in the background in their last transmission."

"They need help." Littlefoot said. "Colonel if you may, I'd like to lead a platoon in to relieve them."

Rhett glares at the Apatosaurus when he heard what he said. Surely he can't be this brave right? All those stories about him earning the Medal of Honor might be true but he can't possibly possess the wits to lead a team of soldiers right into the fray knowing the enemy has machine gun emplacements. After all, his previous encounter with enemy troops involved combatants with bows, not Type 92 Medium Machine Guns.

"I admire your bravery, kid. What a shame you're not an officer." Colonel May remarks. "That being said, you will be getting into the fray with Captain Nate."

"Thank you, Colonel-" Littlefoot tried to say.

"No no no, I should be the one who's going." Rhett interrupts. "I have tougher skin than he does."

"You will stay, Rhett." Lt. Colonel Morgan said firmly. "That is an order."

"Sir, yes sir."

Begrudgingly, Rhett could only stand and watch as Littlefoot set out towards the location where Second Platoon was along with Cpt. Nate. On this very mission, Littlefoot also had a new suit made from Nitinol which covered his entire body. Strapped on his back was a modified version of the AWS fitted with a M134 Gatling Gun with the exact same amount of ammunition. The head piece he wore was similar to Iron Man's, featuring a heads-up display which highlighted the location of enemies and gave a live update on the condition of his armor.

There was also an intercom system to allow him to communicate directly with his superiors during times of need. Should Littlefoot find himself underwater or in places where the air was unbreathable, there were two oxygen support systems to aid him. The first extracted oxygen from the water like a fish's gills while the second oxygenated low oxygen level air and, in the event of a chemical weapons attack, scrubbed CO2 from air already breathed out.

While the relief force moved up towards Second Platoon, Field Commander Winsor, the local commander of Imperial Forces, had been given full control of his army by Field Marshall Brad Sloane, who was testing a new method of leading. With this new freedom of leadership, Winsor immediately went about implementing his "deathgrip tactic" and moved two Sections of Imperial Troopers around Second Platoon to cut off their route of escape before crushing them with overwhelming numbers.

Due to their natural born agility, the two sections were quick on their feet and their knowledge of the terrain allowed them to silently sneak past the flank guards. They were almost at the rear of Second Platoon when Captain Nate's relief force encountered them. Sounds of semi-automatic fire from M4A1 Carbines were mixed in with occasional bursts from the M249 SAWs. Once again, Littlefoot moved ahead of his comrades and prepared to unleash hell with his AWS.

Unlike last time, he could see how many enemies there were thanks to his heads-up display and he quickly moved to a position where he could make the most use out of his gun. One that was settled, it was a matter of sitting back and letting the weapon do its magic. Due to the advanced targeting computers on the improved AWS he was wearing, the M134 only needed to fire in short bursts to gun down the charging Indomimus Rexes, reducing collateral damage and conserving ammunition.

In less than five minutes, the short but bloody battle was over. The two sections have been completely wiped from the face of the Earth and Captain Nate's relief force could now advance safely towards Second Platoon. The Type 92 machine guns were still hammering away at the soldiers by the time the Marines showed up and Thomas Nate knew what he had to do. He sends Littlefoot forward to clear the machine guns, an opportunity the Apatosaurus would not turn down.

His armor made him invulnerable to gunfire for almost an indefinite period of time and he had an awesome new weapon to count on. Littlefoot begins walking towards the Type 92s, eating up the bullets fired in his direction like nobody's business. With each step, the gunners got desperate but there was little they could do. Even with armor piercing rounds, their guns could not penetrate the Nitinol armor worn by Littlefoot and their vain efforts were repaid with their total annihilation.

The battle had only lasted about an hour but Second Platoon had lost all its senior officers and two of its riflemen, leaving just ten men surviving. Three more riflemen were also wounded, leaving only seven capable of fighting. Captain Nate was ordered to pull back to the forest behind them and set up shop while First Platoon returned to the LZ with their wounded to fly them out. At this point, there was a lot of shooting going on near the LZ as Field Commander Winsor began his all-out offensive against the Elysians, moving squads all over the Canyon to surround his foes.

* * *

Hours have passed since MI6 agents brought her to the room where they interrogated captives for information but Natalie wasn't talking. Every single psychological method they've used to break her will have failed and she seemed adamant about keeping what she knew a secret. Worse still, unlike other Elysian Intelligence Agencies, most notably the Office Of Strategic Intelligence(OSS), MI6 strictly forbade its members from torturing any of the detainees, deeming it inhumane.

Due to an increase of defense spending, President Beauregard was trying to combine separate agencies into a unified organization while at the same time disbanding unnecessary organizations to cut back on costs. MI6 was on the President's watch list as the OSS had a similar role and so far provided more information than its rival. If they handed the prisoner over to the OSS, it would be a clear indication that MI6 was redundant and President Beauregard would be quick with his pen. The director of MI6 needed a solution and he needed it quick if he wanted to keep his rather powerful position.

While the Code Of Conduct did forbade any member of MI6 from torturing its prisoners, it made no mention regarding its associates and those outside the organization. This gave Roth Mallory, the director of MI6, an idea. He rings up James and asked him to fly to London immediately, a request the Don immediately complied. An armored Jaguar came to receive him at the private airfield and took him to the detention center run by MI6 where he came face to face with his old rival.

"MI6 has a strict code of rules which we must comply." Roth said to Natalie. "Unfortunately for you, those same set of restrictions do not apply to Don Burnett."

"Worse still, my methods are quite brutal." James grins coldly.

Helpers filed in and out of the room constantly, bringing in apparatuses and items requested by James. Laid out neatly on the table was a large heavy duty construction wrench, an aerosol can and lighter, a Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver and a box of fifty .38 Special cartridges, a Stiletto, a machete, and a Dildo. Yes, James brought in a Dildo to torture Natalie. On the ground right next to the table was a huge barrel of water, a bucket, and a towel; everything one would need to waterboard someone.

"I'll give you one last chance to talk." James said.

"Go fuck yourself." Natalie spat on the ground.

"Fair enough then."

Before she could react, James flips her chair over and covers her nose and mouth with the towel. He then takes the bucket which was filled with water from the barrel and pours it onto the towel for twenty seconds before pausing for ten seconds to give Natalie the chance of speak. If she didn't, he would go for another twenty seconds. For someone as young as her to go through such brutal torture was unprecedented and her peers would've surrendered within the first few seconds but Natalie refused to talk.

She choked, coughed, and blubbed but no information came out from her mouth. James seemed to take a great pleasure in waterboarding his foe but eventually he got a little bored and went for the heavy duty wrench which he broke her right kneecap with. This seemed to have a bigger effect on Natalie as she screamed at the top of her lungs in pain. MI6 agents observing through a one way window were at a loss for words. Many considered James to be a softie compared to his father but here he was nonchalantly breaking someone else's kneecap.

"WHO ELSE IS A NORTH CRETACEOUS SYMPATHIZER?!" He shouts. "TELL ME OR YOU'RE GONNA GET IT."

"Fuck you Don Burnett!" She scowls defiantly.

Now clearly blown his head, James skipped the Smith & Wesson and other apparatuses entirely and grabbed the Dildo. He restrains Natalie with a pair of cuffs and takes her out of the chair before throwing her to the ground. Using his bodyweight to pin her in place, he jams the Dildo right into her Dignity. Not a total idiot, James knew one try wasn't enough so he repeated the process over and over again for hmm… Five times? Ten times? No, Natalie had to ensure a total of thirty "penetrations" before James stopped.

Finally, after such a relentless assault, she broke. Her mental state was in shambles and when MI6 agents returned to the torture chamber, she was in tears and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Now tell me." Roth said. "Who else is working for North Cretaceous?"

"B-Bill Dillinger." She sobbed, still shaken by what just happened. "He sold a few hundred… Type 92 machine guns to K-King Lancelot."

"I knew the bugger was up to no good." He turns to one of the agents in the room with him. "Get a psychiatrist to check on her to make sure she doesn't have PTSD."

"Mallory, if you may I'd like to go after the bastard personally since he's been a thorn to my side. Everyone knows he's been working for people with ties to the government. If I kill him-"

"Everyone will think he crossed you and no one will suspect us. Good thinking."

"So it's a go?"

"Definitely."

Once given the location of Bill Dillinger by one of Roth's agents, James immediately heads out of the detention center and flew back to Monte Carlo. While he could've flown directly to Bill Dillinger's residence in the south of Sicily, James wanted to flex his muscles and demonstrate just how wrong it was to mess with the Elysian Mafia. En route, James personally informs Don Roberto Giovanni on a secure mobile network and had full assurance from him that men from his organization would not respond to Bill's requests for assistance.

* * *

No matter how much lead they put down range, the enemy kept coming. For every Imperial Trooper downed, three more would take their place and these overwhelming odds eventually forced Captain Nate to abandon his position and pull his men back from the forest. Low on ammunition but knowing they had to defend the LZ, they set up in the best defensive position they could find in the area. It was a small clearing fifty yards away from the forest they had been defending and the fallen logs there created natural barriers to set up the machine guns.

Ammunition bearers rushed in from the LZ carrying a new thirty round belt to replenish Littlefoot's empty M134 while medics evacuated the wounded. Fresh Marines were dispatched from the LZ to replace their fallen and wounded comrades. Having suffered great amount of losses, some elements of the Elysian Force in the Zion Canyon were feeling disinherited. While they knew they had the advantage in firepower, they also knew the enemy commander they faced was maximizing the effectiveness of whatever firearms he had in his arsenal by deploying them tactically.

Take the battle between Second Platoon and the Imperial Machine Gun line for example. Though they only had about five slow firing Type 92 machine guns, the Indomimus Rexes were still able to inflict heavy losses on their foes and cause them to be held up so badly that their commanders had to send a relief force in to save them. On top of that, they had to send one of their armored dinosaurs who had been equipped with state of the art Nitinol armor to deal with the Imperial Troopers who wore nothing but their uniforms.

It was this level of competency and efficiency in his leadership which was turning the tide against the invading Elysians. Sure, they caught him by surprise when they landed directly in the Zion Canyon but his calm and brutally efficient counter to their attack certainly threw the Elysians off guard. And now with darkness approaching, Field Commander Winsor had a serious advantage over his Elysian foes. Soldiers of the Federation and their officers had anticipated that the battle would be over before nightfall. Thus, they left their night vision equipment behind.

Now they had to fight blind against an enemy which wasn't. Both Colonel Richard May and Lt. Colonel Harold Morgan knew it was pointless attacking in the dark and ordered their men to dig in and wait for the enemy to come to them. As the saying goes, it takes fewer men to hold a position than it does to take it. Most of the soldiers they had on hand were wounded and the two officers knew they had fewer fighting men than the enemy. Both drew their sidearms, ready for a final showdown if it came down to it.

"Didn't command give the order to attack the Canyon already?" Harold spoke.

"Local commander probably didn't get the memo." Richard answers. "OR, he decided it was too risky a move to take."

"I guess that's the downfall of decentralized command huh?"

"Thing is, we implemented decentralized command back in the day before the era of satellites and drones. Nowadays we have all those cool new toys to play with and a fucking Central Intelligence Center where satellites give commanders a bird's eye view of the battle. Yet the higher ups just refuse to exploit this."

Indeed Colonel Richard was right about the upside of switching over to a central command system. While decentralized command gave the Elysian Commanders all the flexibility they needed, it did not allow high command to coordinate attacks which would increase the efficiency. And there was also the case Harold and Richard were facing. Since command decisions were ultimately left to the ground commander of a particular sector, they could choose to go against high command's wishes if they wanted. In this case they did, and Elysium would quickly realize how big of a disaster it was.

Because unbeknownst to anyone, Field Marshall Brad Sloane was reversing his own way of commanding. Since news of the battle would arrive too late, he decides to adopt the Elysian policy of decentralized command and left the decision to his subordinates. All he would do was give an objective and leave it up to the subordinate officers to coordinate the attack with their forces at hand. And his newest objective was nothing short of ambitious.

For months, he had been planning to push the Elysians back with an overwhelming show of force. But to do so, Brad had to deal with the better trained and better equipped Elysian Army. What he came up with was something unprecedented in North Cretaceous military history; a precision Special Forces strike. The plan called for Special Forces units to sneak behind enemy lines and create havoc. Three huge armies, one in the North, one in the Center and one in the South would simultaneously punch through the weakened lines in an overwhelming wave of men, crushing their foes and encircling those who were too stubborn to retreat.

So ambitious was Field Marshall Brad Sloane that when King Lancelot got wind of this, he personally granted him all the manpower and equipment he needed, clearly impressed with the vision of his military's commander. Thanks to this, Brad could pick out the best men and equipment, and he had his invasion force assembled within a matter of weeks. By sheer luck, the Elysian commanders have simultaneously ordered their commanders to halt as they had outrun their own supply lines. And with their tanks and vehicles starved of fuel, the Elysians were at a severe disadvantage.

"Listen up, gentlemen." Brad spoke the three subordinate officers who will be putting his plan into motion. "It is extremely vital that we move fast and hit as hard as we can. The Elysians must not be allowed to mount a counterattack or we are done for. Defeat is not an option, not when we'll take two thirds of the kingdom's army with us if we fail."

"When will the attack go down?" One of them asked.

"Like I said before, our saboteurs will sneak in behind enemy lines at around 0300 hours. As soon as the first explosions go off, you three will unleash your glorious wave. This is the first time I'm decentralizing our command system, better prove to me it's a whole lot better than what was in place before."


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Flames created by MK77 kerosene bombs completely annihilate forests close enough to the vicinity of the explosion as Lt. Colonel Harold Morgan's radioman continued his task of calling in airstrikes on enemy position. His Marine counterpart was also radioing for support, although he was directing artillery fire from a nearby battery instead of bringing in steel warbirds. Thousands of tons of ordnance were being dropped by the minute and Zion Canyon no longer looked as lush as it was before.

Dead trees razed by the fire replaced the original green healthy ones and bodies littered the once beautiful landscape. The river flowing through the canyon was no longer clear but a mixture of brown and red, the result of blood and debris flowing into the water. By now, the surviving Elysian military elements in the canyon were no more than fifty yards away from the LZ and all of them have fortified their positions the best they could. Heavier guns like .50 caliber M2HB machine guns were brought in to reinforce the lines along with 81mm M252A2 Mortars.

But just when the two officers on the ground thought they could push through if the choppers kept coming, the UH-1s supply runs stopped. Worse still, the nearby artillery battery had also stopped firing and the only thing still attacking the enemy were aircraft dispatched from the various airfields set up in Nevada and California. Something was clearly up beyond the canyon and not the good kind. Unbeknownst to the two commanders, explosions have occurred at two ammunition depots, one in the north and one in the south, and following these explosions were large waves of Imperial Troopers swarming into the frontlines.

They overran their Elysian counterparts with sheer numbers. One of the first areas to fall was the Great Valley and when Imperial Troops entered, they took every military personnel prisoner. Even those working at medical stations were not spared. Among the ones taken prisoner was Ali. She had been helping a dying soldier when enemy troops overran her position and found her. Knowing she was a non-combatant, they did not kick her around or treat her as harshly as they did to the soldiers.

Split into two groups, one for combatants and the other for non-combatants, the prisoners marched off towards POW camps under the escort of Imperial Troops. Reinforcements quickly filed in and they made the Elysian FOB their own, figuring it would be a waste if they razed it. Further back and near the border between Utah and Arizona, Littlefoot and the rest of the combined Cavalry-Marine detachment continued to do battle with what they have left. The order to conserve ammunition has been given and equipment of the fallen were being searched for extra magazines.

"Copy that." Colonel May puts the radio receiver down and sighs. "Morgan, tell your men to prepare for a last stand."

"What?" He glares at his Marine counterpart. "Is a huge wave incoming?"

"No, we're encircled."

"Just when I thought things could not get any worse."

Far away from the besieged forces in the Zion Canyon, the Elysian High Command attaché makes a drastic move, a move some commanders welcomed. With Elysian Forces in disarray and some commanders even captured before they could retreat, General Raffles, the High Command attaché, decides to centralize command. The Central Nerve Center he had set up in Los Angeles provided him with a bird's eye view of the situation thanks to satellites and drones.

Just one look at the screens was enough to tell him that he needed to do something drastic or they would have to run through the course of fire on the beaches once more. His resources dwindling by the minute, Raffles makes the call. Elysian Armored detachments would move up to the frontlines supported by fresh troops, aircraft, and mobile artillery pieces or SPGs. "The best defense is a good offense" they say. And now General Raffles would put this to good use and hopefully swing the war once again in the Elysians' favor.

* * *

Gunshots rang at the James' residence as his personal security detail battled against an unidentified intruding force. The Don himself was not present in the house but his girlfriend Charmaine was. She had been preparing a light meal for herself after a long day at work when the firing started. Ever since day one, she knew where the gun vault was and she quickly retrieved a Mossberg 590A1 Tactical from one of the racks before returning to the kitchen to continue about her business.

Should any uninvited guest decide to barge through the door, she would ventilate their bodies with 00 buck. In the driveway, two Mafioso open fire with their Tommy guns and gun down no less than seven unidentified intruders as they tried to climb over the main gate. While the battle raged on at his home, James kicks down the door of Billy Dillinger's office in his Sicilian residence. Aided by Don Roberto Giovanni's Soldatos, he overcame the security detail and was now confronting the man who had sold weapons to the nation's enemy.

"You are really direct with your dealings." Billy remarks. "Most Dons would hang back and relax but you…"

"There's a reason why many respect me." He answers. "Time for you to say goodbye Mr. Dillinger."

"It would be unwise to kill me, not when I have information which might be vital to the future of your organization."

"And what might that be?"

"I know something about Dean Barzini, he's not as loyal as you'd think."

"What about him?"

"I won't divulge more unless you can guarantee that I won't be killed."

"If you don't say anything I will shoot now." James draws his Sig Sauer P220 and pulls the hammer back to make a point. "I can always put my finger on the trigger you think I'm kidding."

"Fine! Fine!" He sighs. "Dean Barzini has been looking for a way to take over the Mafia and he's starting with you."

"Appreciate the heads-up Signore Dillinger."

 _BANG BANG_

 _BANG_

"But if anything, I'm not going to let Richard Nightingale II live."

Smoke filled the office and the sound of the last cartridge casing hitting the ground could be heard. Billy Dillinger died instantly from his wounds and he banged his head against the table before falling onto the ground, blood flowing from where the bullets entered. Another "trash" dead, now time to deal with an issue more personal. After all, Billy did mention that Dean Barzini has been looking to take the helm, even if he had to do it via violent means.

His second in command had to be bumped off fast before he did something rash. Don Giovanni's soldiers escorted James back to his awaiting Burgess Silver Fast motor yacht at the dock which he left Sicily in. Back home, Charmaine blasts a gunman who tried to enter the home with her Mossberg pump action shotgun. He was the last of the attack team who had tried to take over the home. The security team had successfully defended the residence from the intruders with minimal casualties.

While many of their own were hit, all of them had been wearing body armor and none of them have been killed. By contrast, the entire team of intruders were killed and their bodies thrown into the sea so they could "sleep with the fishes". James was shocked when he learnt of the attack en route back to the docks in Monte Carlo and the feeling would've been worse had Charmaine not been the one to inform him. He knew Billy Dillinger couldn't have been behind the attacks since he had no ties to any criminal organization.

Only two individuals could've been responsible; Dean Barzini and Charles Burnett. James quickly ruled his father out since he knew Charles had been trying to reconcile with him ever since the McDonalds incident and would not pull of such a stunt. Dean Barzini on the other hand fitted the bill since it would be logical to attack someone at his residence if you wanted to bump him off. Unbeknownst to James however, Dean Barzini was up to something else as well and this time, his father was behind it.

* * *

Under new orders from General Raffles, tank commanders charged into the thick of the action, supported by aircraft and attack helicopters. Now having centralized their command, Elysian Forces were more coordinated in their attacks and they dulled the North Cretaceous counterattack almost immediately after crashing into the waves. MK77 bombs dropped by aircraft did the most damage, burning many Imperial Troopers alive as they ran towards the tanks.

Cries of agony could be heard, accompanied by the sound machine gun and cannon fire from the tanks which finished off those who survived the Kerosene Bomb strikes. Since the enemy had captured tons of Elysian equipment during their counterattacks, the tank commanders chose to advance more cautiously, especially when moving into the cities. Even with infantry support, the enemy could conceal themselves in areas where the infantry could not see and disable a tank or two with captured anti-tank ATGMs or grenades.

Among the infantrymen who supported the tanks was SGT Tommy Brasi, the son of the late Don Brasi who had been killed during Charles' hostile takeover of Elysium. And like many able bodied men, he had been drafted to fight in the war against North Cretaceous. Unlike his fellow comrades however, Sergeant Brasi had an encrypted satellite phone in his field pack which he regularly phoned James with when not in combat. Tommy and James had a common goal to eliminate Charles Burnett and were on good terms. James gave him the satphone so he could give James info about how his Apatosaurus friend was doing.

Long before news of the encirclement was broadcasted on national TV, James knew his pal was in serious trouble. But while he liked to help, he couldn't. He was not a soldier and could only pray that Littlefoot could make it out of the ordeal alive. James did however deliver on time the 30,000 M60E7 machine guns requested by General Raffles for general issue. And one of these guns found its way into the hands of Tommy Brasi, who was the SAW gunner of his squad.

As they move through the town of St George, a machine gun suddenly opens up on the squad from a nearby double story house, forcing everyone to take cover. Sergeant Brasi knew what his role was and immediately lights up the house with his M60E7, spraying the window with bullets along with Fireteam One while Fireteam Two makes its way around in a flanking maneuver. Led by Sergeant Madison, a no nonsense and aggressive warrior, they burst through the door after shooting the locks off with a breaching shotgun and throwing a nine banger in.

When they went in, the enemy on the bottom floor had already been disorientated and effectively neutralized but Madison and his men fired anyways. Better safe than sorry they say. While they could've moved up the second floor and finish off the remaining enemy troopers with overwhelming firepower, Madison had a much better idea. He orders everyone in his fireteam to take a fragmentation grenade and pull the pill, placing great emphasis on having a firm grip on the thing to prevent the spoon from flying out when they did.

At his command, everyone including him lobbed a grenade upstairs and ran out of the house. No more than four seconds later, the grenades exploded almost simultaneously, causing the entire house to shake and debris to shoot out from the upstairs windows. Sergeant Brasi and his fireteam immediately move forward and regroup with Fireteam Two to put the platoon back to full strength before sweeping the house one last time. Everyone inside had been killed, their bodies ripped to shreds by the shrapnel and explosion.

"That's one way to clear a fuckin' house." Tommy remarks. "How many grenades did you lob up there?"

"Four in total." Madison answers.

"Explains why none of these assholes survived."

They move out of the bloodied house and hauled ass to catch up with the tanks. About forty miles away, a bullet rips through the head of a corporal who had been standing right next to Littlefoot, causing blood to spray onto his suit as the poor soul collapsed onto the ground, dying instantly from his wounds. Littlefoot didn't seem too bothered by the gore, and continued targeting enemy troops as they advanced. In the back ground, flames burned what was left of the lush Zion Canyon forests till there was nothing but dried remnants of trees left.

Despite repeated attacks, Field Commander Winsor failed time and time again to break the Elysian defense. They might have limited supplies but the "damn humans" as he put it just refused to give up. Indeed, ammunition was running extremely low and Rhett's XM307 was completely dry. Soldiers helped to dismount the weapon and the AWS as he was now pressed into service as an ammunition bearer, brining much needed magazines and belts to soldiers fending off the hordes of enemy soldiers.

If help did not come soon, Colonel Richard May and Lt. Colonel Harold Morgan would have no choice but to capitulate and surrender to Mr. Winsor, a move neither of them wished to do.

"Harold, how many mags have you got left?" May asks.

"About five and a half." He answers. "You?"

"Four ish I guess."

"Yeah, we're in a world of shit."

Suddenly a snarl came from behind Colonel Richard and he spins around just in time to spot an enemy soldier charging towards him. Without even hesitating, he fires his M16A1 from his hip at almost point blank range, scoring three hits on the charging trooper which kills him.

"Definitely in a world of shit."

 _WHAAAAAAAAAM_


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Distracted by the charging enemy trooper and by their own conversation, the two senior officers failed to notice Imperial Cannons moving into position and were knocked off their feet when a shell landed a small distance away from them. Littlefoot and Private Jesse Wilhelm both witnessed their officers being blasted away and immediately rushed to their side. Lt. Colonel Harold Morgan somehow survived the incident without much issue but Colonel May wasn't so fortunate.

Pieces of shrapnel were stuck in his body and he was bleeding from several locations on his body. His face was bloody and both his arms were broken. On top of that, he was unconscious and barely breathing. The Colonel was definitely not in position to lead anymore. Harold knew the duty of commanding the entire force in the Canyon rested on him and he immediately moves back to the LZ with his M16A1 at the ready, covering Littlefoot and Private Wilhelm as they moved the unconscious Colonel back to the area where they placed their wounded.

There was an upside to this of course, albeit a small one. Since Colonel May was out of the fight, the magazines he still had with him could be placed in the "big pile" where men could grab extras if they had to. While the situation was getting direr by the minute, Morgan refused to call for surrender. He came from a military family and both his grandfather and father were officers who had served in warzones, one in the Southeast Asian Emergency and the other in the Middle East. Neither of them had surrendered to the enemy before and Harold wasn't about to be the first in his family.

"Millen." He asked one of his radiomen. "How long till the main force arrives?"

"I heard they've bum-rushed right into Springdale thanks to airborne troops." Millen answers. "Last thing I heard from command is that attack choppers are five mikes out."

"Okay then…"

What Lt. Morgan said next shocks everyone down to the core. Ever since the 1900s, the order to "fix bayonets" had ceased to exist. Sure it still existed in military text books and soldiers were still being taught how to use them and were issued them but the order itself had not been given since the 1900s. There was no point to fix bayonets and charge the enemy, not when every enemy they faced had guns and cannons. But here, backed into a corner with nowhere to run, a bayonet charge seemed like the only way out.

"Fix bayonets!" Those were the words which would be etched into the minds of soldiers who fought here in the Zion Canyon. Everyone complied and affixed bayonets onto their rifles. Those armed with machine guns prepared themselves to unleash hell Rambo style while Littlefoot twitched his head, feeling pumped about charging right into the enemy's jaws like he did previously. The M134 Gatling gun mounted on his AWS had been loaded with a fresh 30,000 round belt and he was more than ready.

Rhett on the other hand was less enthusiastic. Somehow the soldiers managed to jerry-rig a M60E1 onto his AWS and had fitted an ammunition box with around 500 rounds of ammunition. While he knew his gun was just as capable, the Antarctosaurus nearly shat himself each time he thought about what he was about to do next. Truth be told, he wasn't as brave as he seemed. In fact, you could say Rhett was kind of a coward possessing a worse "bite" than "bark". He merely joined the army so he could impress his crush, who incidentally was Littlefoot's former girlfriend Ali.

Field Marshall Winsor heard the firing stop and figured his foes were out of ammunition. He gives the order for his men to move all available forces directly towards the enemy position at walking pace. One by one, Imperial Troopers came out of the brush and advanced towards the LZ. To Lt. Colonel Morgan's surprise, the force was smaller than he anticipated and judging by the ragged looks on their faces, he could tell the enemy force was depleted.

Their reinforcements must not have had the time to arrive; perfect timing. Full of confidence and with pride, the Imperial Troopers strolled towards the LZ, chit chatting along the way and cracking the occasional joke. But when the lead guy got to the fifty yard mark, his eyes widened in horror. Every single rifle had a pointed thingy on the end and almost instantly, Lt. Colonel Harold Morgan rose from his position and put no less than five rounds into him and the trooper right next to him.

Quickly following their commander's lead, the Elysians all rose from their position and charged towards the troopers, shooting anyone they could lay their sights on and bayoneting those who got too close. One poor sod tried to radio back to HQ but was quickly bayoneted by a Marine. Littlefoot ran in front of the group and unleashed a long burst with his AWS, mowing down ten enemy soldiers in the blink of an eye. He then runs alongside the Morgan as they charged towards the HQ.

While none of the Elysians knew it at the time, Field Marshall Winsor once again got wind of an attack and, knowing the Elysians were charging towards him, put forth a hasty defense. Whatever machine guns he had he moved into the path of the Elysians and had his reserve force man them. He also had a small attack force to push back the survivors once the attack had been dulled. The Imperial Troopers stared ahead, their claws touching the triggers of their guns.

One by one, the heads of the Elysian soldiers popped into view and Morgan's eyes widened when he saw what a mistake he had made.

Of course the enemy would have a backup plan! What was he thinking?!

Fortunately for him, fate was on his side for this one. Before the enemy could even fire a single bullet, they were chopped to pieces by Gatling Guns, 20mm Chainguns and rockets fired from attack helicopters which have arrived just in the nick of time to save Lt. Colonel Morgan and his soldiers from total annihilation. Some of the Imperial Troopers attempted to turn their guns towards the choppers but were shot to pieces before they were able to. No one was able to run away or retreat as they were all cut to pieces.

Some men were not killed outright by the heavy weapons and cried out in agony. A few who weren't shot cowered behind boulders, scared shitless and ready to surrender the minute the firing stopped. One trooper managed to get behind cover safely but witnessed his own brother get chopped to pieces. He snarled in anger, but there was nothing he could do to change what was now history.

Once the area was cleared, Lt. Morgan rushed in with his men to clear the area and take the surrendering troopers prisoner. Suddenly, the lone trooper ran for a loaded Royal Ordnance Rifled cannon, filled with rage and ready to turn it on the sole surviving officer of the Elysian ground unit which fought against him. Morgan fails to see the threat but Littlefoot spots the trooper as he was about to fire. His AWS was definitely not reacting in time and the Apatosaurus did the only thing he could.

He jumps in front of the Lieutenant Colonel and took the cannon shell which had enough force to send him crashing into a tree more than twenty feet away. Medics quickly rushed to the Apatosaurus and when they opened his helmet, they realized that while the suit saved him from the projectile, he was suffering from serious internal injuries. Blood flowed from his mouth and nostrils, and he was coughing and in pain.

"Evac the Apatosaurus first!" Morgan shouted. "We can't afford to lose a war hero!"

* * *

James had been enroute to Dean Barzini's residence when he heard of Littlefoot's heroic actions and what it led to. Immediately he orders the convoy to turn around and head back home. According to the doctors, there was a good chance Littlefoot might not make it and if he did, there was a ninety percent chance he would not be able to walk again, not without aids at least. Currently he was being flown back on a special medical aircraft to receive treatment back home as the field doctors weren't equipped to deal with such levels of trauma.

There were professional doctors on board and so far, they've kept him stable and slowed the internal bleeding down to where he would make it home without issue. Cera was visibly distraught when she got news and immediately flew into Elysium on James' Corporate Jet when she could. By the time she arrived, Littlefoot was already in the hospital and out of surgery. But doctors had bad news to say. Due to the nature of his injuries, he lost consciousness and there was a good chance that he would never wake up from his coma.

"Littlefoot's a fighter, Cera." James comforts the Triceratops. "He'll be fine."

"Doctors say…" She sobbed. "They said he might not ever wake up again."

"Trust me, he will."

While James wanted to take revenge, he knew there was nothing he could do to change reality and decides to focus on the task he nearly performed before being interrupted by the sudden news of Littlefoot's condition. Instead of going with his old plan to confront his second in command at his residence however, he phones up Dean Barzini and asks to meet him at the Casino Royale, the second in command unaware of what was about to happen. The convoy left his residence towards the evening and picked him up from the hospital after he said his goodbyes to Cera.

One of the men hands him a Lupara which he tucks underneath his suit as they drove towards the Casino. En route, some of the Soldatos accompanying him wondered if the title "softie" given to him by the public was still appropriate. Sure he didn't kill as often as his father but on the other hand he DID kill someone after promising to spare him. He also chased an enemy spy James Bond style and later shot her in the parking lot of the same Casino he was about to meet Dean Barzini in. There was also the fact that he was ready to personally confront the sabotage team and would have probably done so if his father did not send his own goons to silence them first.

Finally, by seven in the evening, the convoy rolled up outside the Casino Royal. Five men disembarked from the armored Escalades with James, who emerged from the back of his Maybach Pullman Guard. Together they walked into the casino and entered the room where Dean Barzini was and completely surround him, with one Soldato shutting the door to prevent anyone from seeing what was going on. About a minute or so later, they emerged from the same soundproof room and calmly walked out of the casino, the convoy leaving not too long after.

No one bothered to ask any questions and no one dared to enter the room for over two hours and it was only because a curious child had popped into the room out of curiosity that Dean Barzini's lifeless corpse was found slumped in the chair where he sat. There were no bullets despite James having armed himself with a Lupara earlier. When Casino security entered to check on Don Burnett's second in command, they realized he had been garroted. Garroting his enemies was not James' habit, though he probably chose to give the order this time since a shotgun blast would be messy and the smell of gunpowder would definitely fill the air as soon as he opened the door to leave.

Due to Littlefoot's condition occupying the public's mind, Dean Barzini's death went almost completely unnoticed and only occupied a small section of all Elysian Newspapers. Only Wolf News reported his death and even then, few people paid any attention. Charles was one of the few who did and his heart quickly sank. He had been paying Dean Barzini to spy on his son and distract him while he prepared to attack Don Giovanni and finish off the final Don not allied with him.

Could James have found out about Dean Barzini's betrayal? Or had Dean been planning something of his own, something even the Capo Di Tutti Capi disagreed with? There was no time to think, Charles had to attack one of Don Giovanni's businesses before his son pounced on him, and he had to count on the fact that his son would be too busy doing what he was doing to care about Roberto Giovanni


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

While Charles could see where the bullets went through his body, he could feel no pain. Instead he felt like he was floating and in a way he was. All of a sudden, he was transported back to his old residence. Right in front of him was James' six year old self playing with a remote controlled Lamborghini Miura. Charles chuckled, was all what he just felt, including being shot by his own son, a dream and nothing else? He reaches out to touch his son but the minute he did, the image changed

Now he was next to the door and his son could be seen walking down the stairs with Mafioso accompanying him, all of them carrying suitcases. Two Mercedes Benz 6x6s were waiting outside along with a Ferrari 308 GTSi. What on earth was going on? Charles thought. Once again he tried to touch his son and yet again, the image changed. This time back to the day he was shot. Instead of where he stood, Charles found himself standing, strangely enough, next to himself.

Both his son and "himself" had sidearms drawn and Charles knew what was going on. He could see the Tommy gun propped up next to his table and frantically reached for it, hopefully to save his own skin before his son fired. But every time he reached to grab the gun, his hand simply "dissolved" through it as it it was an invisible hologram.

"…Yeah, what a good father you are!" He heard his own son say, James' voice echoing aloud for several seconds.

Then the firing started. Charles stared in horror as he saw his own son and himself fall; James onto the ground and "himself" falling back onto his chair. His white pastel suit was covered in blood but James' body was surprisingly "dry". Slowly everything faded away and Charles was soon enveloped in darkness. A light appeared in the distance the next thing he knew, he was sucked towards it at high speed.

...

Still slightly dazed, James opens his eyes and looked around. The Mafioso standing behind him quickly stepped forward to help their boss onto his feet. Nobody knew how long James had been out but the Don didn't care. He was just glad to have learnt his lesson while dealing with Richard Nightingale or the outcome might've been very very different.

"Don Burnett." One of his Mafioso said. "You are now the Capo Di Tutti Capi, congratulations on your promotion."

"Heh, you're right." He chuckles. "Y'know, I think I should stop dealing with cases personally, it's too fucking risky."

"You're right."

"Luca." He said to another Mafioso. "Is your father still around?"

"Marlo Clemenza? No, he passed away."

"What about you? Fancy being a Caporegime?"

"Of course!"

"I'll might just get Tommy Brasi out of the army too, we'll need both your unwavering loyalty and ruthless nature."

* * *

Despite what the doctors said, Littlefoot eventually woke up from his coma and recovered enough that the doctors moved him out of the ICU. And with a little help from James, he was moved from the standard wards to a private First Class Ward. Cera was overjoyed when she got news of her boyfriend's miraculous recovery and rushed to the hospital the minute he was transferred to the First Class Ward. She would've come earlier but James wanted her to give Littlefoot some time off before visiting him.

And when she visited, the Don made sure to tag along and he brought Charmaine along to visit him. During Littlefoot's absence, Elysian Forces have made huge progress thanks to a new centralized command system. General Raffles could quickly direct his forces through the aid of satellite images, though he still allowed the field commanders to adapt to the changing flow of the battle and make critical decisions they see fit, especially if it would lower the amount of casualties and shorten the length of time it would take to capture a specific objective.

With this effective mix of the best of both centralized and decentralized command, Elysian Forces punched deep into enemy lines and were now just fifty miles from the capitol of Leister, though Littlefoot would play no part in the fighting. Sadly, his cocky comrade Rhett was killed in action only a few weeks after he flew home from North Cretaceous. He had ignored his officer's orders and moved ahead, figuring he too would be able to locate an enemy formation and demonstrate his "bravery" by completely wiping them out.

Unfortunately for him, he stepped on a mine which was connected to a huge charge of explosives and when it all went off, he was blasted straight into the next world.

"Don't make the same mistake I did." James jokes. "Not kidding, that hurt badly."

"I'm not an idiot like you." Littlefoot sneers. "So, what happened?"

"Charles Burnett and Dean Barzini are dead; Luca Clemenza and Tommy Brasi are my new Caporegimes, and that bastard who sold weapons to North Cretaceous…"

"Is dead." He finishes. "Fantastic! You are now officially your father."

"Heh, at least I'm not a selfish asshole like he is."

"Agreed." Charmaine kisses her husband on the cheek. "By the way, didn't you tell them already?"

"Ah yes, Charmaine is uhm… Pregnant."

The news not only catches Littlefoot off guard but Cera as well. Neither James nor Charmaine mentioned anything about being married or having a child.

"How old are you again? 19?" Littlefoot asks.

"Twenty." James answers. "But hey, I'm working and I can support a family."

"And that justifies it." Charmaine adds.

"Okay then, enjoy yourselves."

A growling sound interrupted their conversation. Looks like Littlefoot was getting a bit hungry. Fortunately for him, his friends have kindly brought along his favorite food; tree-stars. James also brought along some herbal soup made by his extremely talented personal chef only from the finest quality ingredients. Though the war was over for everyone in the ward, it was not for Ali.

She had been thrown into an enemy POW camp and was made to do the exact same job as she did in the army; comfort dying men. This would be orders she had to obey till Elysian Forces liberated her and her fellow inmates. And by then, a scar would've already been carved into her mental health, one which would continue to stay with her for the rest of her life.


End file.
